A ferritin test is a blood test that helps your doctor to measure the amount of the protein ferritin present in your blood. The test helps your doctor to understand whether your ferritin levels are low or normal. If the levels are low, it indicates iron deficiency or other diseases. Higher than the normal levels can also indicate some very serious medical conditions such as:
- Rheumatoid arthritis.
- Hyperthyroidism
- Cancer
- Liver diseases.
The ferritin test is done to diagnose if you have any iron-related medical condition and also to check your overall physical health. The test can be done to detect some of the medical conditions such as:
- To diagnose iron-deficiency anemia or to detect if you have low levels of hemoglobin.
- To measure the ratio of red blood cells and hematocrit, the fluid component in the blood.
- Restless leg syndrome.
- Adult Still’s disease.
- Liver disease.
- Rheumatoid arthritis.
- Alcohol abuse.
- Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Leukemia of the bone marrow.