Common LOINC Laboratory Observation Codes

Put the Pareto Principle to work for you.

Mapping your local laboratory test codes to LOINC can seem like a daunting task at first. Don't worry. To help you get started, we've created an empirically-based list of the most common LOINC result codes.

Knowing that relatively few codes account for much of the typical lab result volume, we think that this Top 2000+ list will be an excellent starter set. It contains just over 2000 LOINC codes that represent about 98% of the test volume carried by three large organizations that mapped all of their lab tests to LOINC codes.

The LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations list is available in two varieties:

1. US Version. For those who favor reporting in mass units (e.g. mg/dL)
2. SI Version. For those who favor reporting in molar units (e.g. mmol/L)
   

LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations and Mapper's Guide

• LOINC Mapper's Guide to the Top 2000+ Lab Observations - Introduction to Version 1.1 (pdf)
  File Version: Top 2000+ Lab Observations Introduction 1.1 | File type: application/pdf | Release Date: 2012-06-30
  File Description: Background document describing the origins, development, and organization of the LOINC Mapper's Guide to the Top 2000+ Lab Observations.
  Other Available Languages: [Chinese] 



US Version

• LOINC Mapper's Guide to the Top 2000+ Lab Observations - US Version 1.1 (pdf)
  File Version: LOINC Mapper's Guide to the Top 2000+ Lab Observations US 1.1 | File type: application/pdf | Release Date: 2012-06-30
  File Description: Document containing mapping guidance for the LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations.
  OID: 1.3.6.1.4.1.12009.10.2.3
  
• LOINC Mapper's Guide to the Top 2000+ Lab Observations - US Version 1.1 (xlsx)
  File Version: LOINC Mapper's Guide to the Top 2000+ Lab Observations US 1.1 | File type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet | Release Date: 2010-06-30
  File Description: Document containing mapping guidance for the LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations. Requires a loinc.org account.
  OID: 1.3.6.1.4.1.12009.10.2.3
  
• LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations - US Version 1.1 (csv)
  File Version: Top 2000+ Lab Observations US 1.1 | File type: text/comma-separated-values  | Release Date: 2010-06-30
  File Description: The list of LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations in a simple CSV file. Does NOT contain mapping guidance.
  OID: 1.3.6.1.4.1.12009.10.2.3
  



SI Version

• LOINC Mapper's Guide to the Top 2000+ Lab Observations - SI Version 1.1 (pdf)
  File Version: LOINC Mapper's Guide to the Top 2000+ Lab Observations SI 1.1 | File type: application/pdf | Release Date: 2012-06-30
  File Description: Document containing mapping guidance for the LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations.
  OID: 1.3.6.1.4.1.12009.10.2.4
  
• LOINC Mapper's Guide to the Top 2000+ Lab Observations - SI Version 1.1 (xlsx)
  File Version: LOINC Mapper's Guide to the Top 2000+ Lab Observations SI 1.1 | File type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet | Release Date: 2010-06-30
  File Description: Document containing mapping guidance for the LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations. Requires a loinc.org account.
  OID: 1.3.6.1.4.1.12009.10.2.4
  Other Available Languages: [Chinese] 
  
• LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations - SI Version 1.1 (csv)
  File Version: Top 2000+ Lab Observations SI 1.1 | File type: text/comma-separated-values  | Release Date: 2010-06-30
  File Description: The list of LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations in a simple CSV file. Does NOT contain mapping guidance.
  OID: 1.3.6.1.4.1.12009.10.2.4

Use the Top 2000+ Rank in the LOINC Table or RELMA too

The Top 2000+ LOINC terms have their relative rank stored in the COMMON_TEST_RANK field of the main LOINC table, which is handy if you're working directly with that file. Also, the RELMA desktop mapping program has a "common lab tests only" filter that will limits searches to return only codes in this common test list. It's pretty cool. Give it whirl when you fire up RELMA.