Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) is a medical laboratory test that measures the blood's capacity to bind iron with transferrin. It is performed by drawing blood and measuring the maximum amount of iron that it can carry, which indirectly measures transferrin since transferrin is the most dynamic carrier. TIBC is less expensive than a direct measurement of transferrin.
The TIBC should not be confused with the UIBC, or "unsaturated iron binding capacity" (22753-8 and 35216-1). The UIBC is calculated by subtracting the serum iron from the TIBC.
Read more about Total Iron-binding Capacity: Interpretation, Usual Values
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