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:
- US Version: For those who favor reporting in mass units (e.g. mg/dL)
- SI Version: For those who favor reporting in molar units (e.g. mmol/L)
%
Put the Pareto Principle to work for you. These LOINC codes represent the vast majority of test volume.
DISCLAIMER
The Top 2000+ ranking of most commonly used lab tests is in a frozen state until we can update it with current frequency data. As indicated in the version history, the majority of changes since the initial release in 2011 have been to replace Deprecated terms. With version 1.4 of the file in 2016, we added roughly 150 new tests with a generic rank value of 3000 that we think would likely be reflected in updated data.
If you would be willing to donate your institution’s frequency data to Regenstrief Institute so that we can update this valuable resource, please contact us. All contributors would be acknowledged in the new file.
TIP Use the included Mapper's Guide for advice and guidance about which codes to choose for a given purpose.
These files do not include any deprecated terms.
LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations and Mapper's Guide
Please log in to your LOINC account to download these files. If you do not have a LOINC account, please complete our free registration.
| Format | Name | Version | Released | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations and Mapper's Guide - Introduction (.pdf) Background document describing the origins, development, and organization of the LOINC Mapper's Guide to the Top 2000+ Lab Observations. Translations: Chinese |
1.6 | 2016-06-24 | 422 KB |
US Version
Please log in to your LOINC account to download these files. If you do not have a LOINC account, please complete our free registration.
| Format | Name | Version | Released | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOINC Mapper's Guide to the Top 2000+ Lab Observations - US Version (.pdf) Document containing mapping guidance for the LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations.
OID: 1.3.6.1.4.1.12009.10.2.3 |
1.6 | 2016-06-24 | 1 MB | |
XLSX |
LOINC Mapper's Guide to the Top 2000+ Lab Observations - US Version (.xlsx) Document containing mapping guidance for the LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations.
OID: 1.3.6.1.4.1.12009.10.2.3 |
1.6 | 2016-06-24 | 317 KB |
CSV |
LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations - US Version (.csv) 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 |
1.6 | 2016-06-24 | 203 KB |
SI Version
Please log in to your LOINC account to download these files. If you do not have a LOINC account, please complete our free registration.
| Format | Name | Version | Released | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOINC Mapper's Guide to the Top 2000+ Lab Observations - SI Version (.pdf) Document containing mapping guidance for the LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations.
OID: 1.3.6.1.4.1.12009.10.2.4 |
1.6 | 2016-06-24 | 1 MB | |
XLSX |
LOINC Mapper's Guide to the Top 2000+ Lab Observations - SI Version (.xlsx) Document containing mapping guidance for the LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations.
OID: 1.3.6.1.4.1.12009.10.2.4 Translations: Chinese |
1.6 | 2016-06-24 | 344 KB |
CSV |
LOINC Top 2000+ Lab Observations - SI Version (.csv) 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 |
1.6 | 2016-06-24 | 205 KB |