Schilling Test

Vitamin B12 Absorption Test

Results

A Schilling 24-hour urine test is done to evaluate whether vitamin B12 is being absorbed by the body. Normal values may vary from lab to lab.

Schilling test

Normal:	About 8% to 10% of the radioactive vitamin B12 is found in the 24-hour urine sample.

Result values

• First test is abnormal. This means that less than 8% to 10% of the radioactive vitamin B12 was found in the urine. A second test with the addition of intrinsic factor is needed to find the cause of the problem.
• Second test is normal. Adding intrinsic factor resulted in normal levels of radioactive vitamin B12. This result indicates you have pernicious anemia and are not producing the intrinsic factor you need to absorb vitamin B from your intestines.
• If the second test is also abnormal, this means that adding intrinsic factor did not result in normal levels of radioactive vitamin B12 in the urine. This result indicates another condition is the problem, such as an intestinal disease (such as sprue or celiac disease), liver disease, or an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism).
• A third test may be done to determine whether the abnormal results are caused by bacteria in the intestine or a problem in the pancreas. You may receive antibiotics to kill the bacteria or pancreatic enzymes if your health professional suspects your pancreas is the problem.

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Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS	Last Updated: February 8, 2007
Medical Review:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Brian Leber, MDCM, FRCPC - Hematology
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