Serum or Plasma Electrophoresis with Bromocresol Purple (BCP) Dye Binding

What This Test Measures

Electrophoresis separates blood proteins into bands based on their electrical charge and size. The BCP dye binds to certain protein groups, allowing for visual assessment of protein concentration in different regions (e.g., albumin, alpha, beta, gamma globulins). This helps detect imbalances that may signal conditions like chronic inflammation, infections, or malignancies.

Why It’s Ordered

Your healthcare provider may order this test if you have symptoms like unexplained weight loss, fatigue, or swollen lymph nodes. It’s also used to monitor conditions like multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, or other protein-related disorders. Sometimes it’s part of a broader evaluation for unexplained high or low protein levels in blood.

Common Conditions Monitored

Abnormal electrophoresis results can reveal conditions like multiple myeloma (a cancer of plasma cells), Waldenström macroglobulinemia (a type of lymphoma), or systemic amyloidosis (a buildup of misfolded proteins). It may also help diagnose or track conditions involving abnormal protein synthesis, such as chronic inflammatory diseases.

Sample Collection and Preparation

A blood sample is drawn from a vein, typically in your arm. The blood is then processed to separate serum or plasma (liquid part of blood without clotting factors). The sample is sent to a lab where proteins are separated using an electric field, and the BCP dye binding is measured to assess protein distribution.