Healthcare Insights
Most common lab tests by procedure volume for different lab categories
Pathology and laboratory tests are medical procedures used to diagnose, monitor, and manage diseases and health conditions. These tests involve the analysis of samples, such as blood, urine, tissues, or body fluids, to provide valuable information about a patient’s health status.
Using the Atlas All-Payor Claims Dataset, we dig into the most common labs in the U.S. based on a percentage of procedure volume in 2024. We break down the lab tests across five popular categories: chemistry, microbiology, organ and disease-oriented panels, hematology and coagulation, and coronavirus diagnostic panels. We excluded CPT code 36415 because it refers to drawing blood and is not an actual lab test.
| Rank | Lab category | CPT code | Description | % of lab procedures in the U.S. | Explore dataset |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemistry & hematology | 85025 | Blood count; complete (CBC) | 7.26% | Explore |
| 2 | Chemistry & hematology | 80053 | Comprehensive metabolic panel | 6.80% | Explore |
| 3 | Other laboratory | 80061 | Lipid panel | 4.03% | Explore |
| 4 | Chemistry & hematology | 83036 | Hemoglobin; glycosylated (A1C) | 3.74% | Explore |
| 5 | Chemistry & hematology | 84443 | Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) | 2.84% | Explore |
| 6 | Microbiology | 81001 | Urinalysis, by dip stick or tablet reagent with microscopy | 2.14% | Explore |
| 7 | Chemistry & hematology | 80048 | Basic metabolic panel (calcium, total) this panel | 2.06% | Explore |
| 8 | Microbiology | 81003 | Urinalysis, by dip stick or tablet reagent without microscopy | 1.87% | Explore |
| 9 | Pathology | 88305 | Level IV - surgical pathology, gross and microscopic examination | 1.76% | Explore |
| 10 | Chemistry & hematology | 85027 | Blood count; complete (CBC), automated (Hgb, Hct, RBC, WBC and platelet count) | 1.70% | Explore |
| 11 | Chemistry & hematology | 82306 | 25 hydroxy, includes fraction(s), if performed | 1.68% | Explore |
| 12 | Microbiology | 87804 | Infectious agent antigen detection by immunoassay with direct optical | 1.65% | Explore |
| 13 | Microbiology | 87880 | Infectious agent antigen detection; Streptococcus, group a | 1.52% | Explore |
| 14 | Chemistry & hematology | 83735 | Magnesium | 1.51% | Explore |
| 15 | Chemistry & hematology | 84439 | Thyroxine; free | 1.22% | Explore |
| 16 | Microbiology | 87086 | Culture, bacterial; quantitative colony count, urine | 1.20% | Explore |
| 17 | Chemistry & hematology | 85610 | Prothrombin time; | 1.17% | Explore |
| 18 | Chemistry & hematology | 82570 | Creatinine; other source | 1.08% | Explore |
| 19 | Chemistry & hematology | 82607 | Cyanocobalamin (vitamin b-12); | 1.07% | Explore |
| 20 | Chemistry & hematology | 84484 | Troponin, quantitative | 1.02% | Explore |
| 21 | Other laboratory | 80307 | Drug test(s), presumptive, any number of drug classes, any number of devices or procedures | 0.99% | Explore |
| 22 | Chemistry & hematology | 83540 | Iron | 0.95% | Explore |
| 23 | Chemistry & hematology | 82728 | Ferritin | 0.94% | Explore |
| 24 | Microbiology | 81025 | Urine pregnancy test, by visual color comparison methods | 0.92% | Explore |
| 25 | Microbiology | 82043 | Albumin; urine (eg, microalbumin), quantitative | 0.90% | Explore |
Fig 1. Analysis of data from the Definitive Healthcare Atlas All Payor Claims product for the calendar year 2024. Claims data is sourced from multiple medical claims clearinghouses in the United States and is updated monthly. Data accessed July 2025.
What are the most common lab tests?
Pathology and laboratory tests play a critical role in healthcare by aiding in disease diagnosis, monitoring treatment effectiveness, and guiding patient management.
They provide information that helps healthcare professionals make accurate diagnoses, develop treatment plans, and improve patient outcomes. The data captured from laboratory claims also provides in-depth visibility into the lab order behavior of physicians.
Below is a breakdown of the most common lab tests by category.
Most common chemistry and hematology lab test
Chemical assay procedures, or chemistry lab tests, represented 35% of all lab test procedures in 2024.
CPT code 85025 was the most common chemistry and hematology lab test, accounting for 7.26% of total lab procedures for 2024. The code refers to a complete blood count (CBC) with automated differential white blood cell count. This test is commonly ordered as part of routine blood work to assess overall health and detect a variety of disorders.
Most common microbiology lab test
Microbiology lab tests represented 16.77% of all lab test procedures in 2024.
CPT code 81001 was the most common microbiology lab test, accounting for 2.14% of lab procedures for the year. This is a urinalysis test performed using automated equipment and includes microscopic examination of the urine. The test is commonly used to detect diabetes, kidney disease, hematuria, and urinary tract infections.
Most common organ or disease-oriented panels
Organ and disease panels represented 14.76% of all lab test procedures in 2024.
The comprehensive metabolic panel (CPT 80053), or CMP, was the top organ and disease-oriented panel lab test, with 6.80% of total organ/disease panel procedures. The CMP is a commonly ordered blood test panel that evaluates overall metabolic health, including kidney and liver function, electrolyte and acid/base balance, and blood sugar levels.
A CMP typically includes a combination of tests to measure various components such as glucose, electrolytes, kidney function markers (such as blood urea nitrogen and creatinine), liver function markers (such as alanine aminotransferase and albumin), and other metabolic indicators. Providers often order a CMP as a routine screening test or to evaluate overall health status, monitor chronic conditions, or assess medication side effects.
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