Veterinary lab unit converter
Convert between conventional (US) and SI units for blood gas, the IDEXX Catalyst Chem 17 panel, SDMA, T4 and more. Type a value in either unit.
Conversion factors
SI = conventional × factor. Divide by the factor to convert back.
| Test | Conventional | SI | Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood gas & electrolytes | |||
| pCO₂Partial pressure of carbon dioxide | mmHg | kPa | 0.1333760 mmHg = 101.325 kPa (1 atm) |
| pO₂Partial pressure of oxygen | mmHg | kPa | 0.1333760 mmHg = 101.325 kPa (1 atm) |
| HCO₃⁻Bicarbonate | mEq/L | mmol/L | 1Monovalent ion: 1 mEq = 1 mmol |
| TCO₂Total carbon dioxide | mEq/L | mmol/L | 1Total CO₂: 1 mEq = 1 mmol |
| Na⁺Sodium | mEq/L | mmol/L | 1Monovalent ion: 1 mEq = 1 mmol |
| K⁺Potassium | mEq/L | mmol/L | 1Monovalent ion: 1 mEq = 1 mmol |
| Cl⁻Chloride | mEq/L | mmol/L | 1Monovalent ion: 1 mEq = 1 mmol |
| iCaIonized calcium | mg/dL | mmol/L | 0.249540.078 g/mol |
| MgMagnesium (total) | mg/dL | mmol/L | 0.411424.305 g/mol |
| LacLactate | mg/dL | mmol/L | 0.1110Lactic acid, 90.078 g/mol |
| GluGlucose (blood gas) | mg/dL | mmol/L | 0.05551180.156 g/mol |
| IDEXX Catalyst Chem 17 | |||
| ALBAlbumin | g/dL | g/L | 101 g/dL = 10 g/L |
| ALB/GLOBAlbumin:globulin ratio | Ratio | Ratio | SameUnitless ratio |
| ALKPAlkaline phosphatase | U/L | µkat/L | 0.016671 U = 16.67 nkat |
| ALTAlanine aminotransferase | U/L | µkat/L | 0.016671 U = 16.67 nkat |
| AMYLAmylase | U/L | µkat/L | 0.016671 U = 16.67 nkat |
| BUNBlood urea nitrogen | mg/dL BUN | mmol/L urea | 0.3570Urea nitrogen (2 N per urea), 28.014 g/mol |
| BUN/CREABUN:creatinine ratio | Ratio | mmol/mmol | Convert separatelyMolar ratio in SI (×4.038); cut-offs differ |
| CaCalcium (total) | mg/dL | mmol/L | 0.249540.078 g/mol |
| CHOLCholesterol | mg/dL | mmol/L | 0.02586386.664 g/mol |
| CREACreatinine | mg/dL | µmol/L | 88.40113.12 g/mol |
| GGTGamma-glutamyl transferase | U/L | µkat/L | 0.016671 U = 16.67 nkat |
| GLOBGlobulin | g/dL | g/L | 101 g/dL = 10 g/L |
| GLUGlucose | mg/dL | mmol/L | 0.05551180.156 g/mol |
| LIPALipase | U/L | µkat/L | 0.016671 U = 16.67 nkat |
| PHOSPhosphorus (inorganic) | mg/dL | mmol/L | 0.322930.974 g/mol |
| TBILTotal bilirubin | mg/dL | µmol/L | 17.10584.673 g/mol |
| TPTotal protein | g/dL | g/L | 101 g/dL = 10 g/L |
| Endocrine, renal & other | |||
| SDMASymmetric dimethylarginine | µg/dL | µmol/L | 0.04944202.258 g/mol |
| TT4Total T4 (thyroxine) | µg/dL | nmol/L | 12.87776.874 g/mol |
| fT4Free T4 | ng/dL | pmol/L | 12.87Thyroxine, 776.874 g/mol |
| CortisolCortisol | µg/dL | nmol/L | 27.59362.466 g/mol |
| TRIGTriglycerides | mg/dL | mmol/L | 0.01129Triglyceride as triolein, 885.453 g/mol |
| FructosamineFructosamine | µmol/L | µmol/L | Sameµmol/L in both systems |
| Bile acidsSerum bile acids | µmol/L | µmol/L | Sameµmol/L in both systems |
| NH₃Ammonia | µg/dL | µmol/L | 0.5872Ammonia (NH₃), 17.031 g/mol |
| HCTHematocrit | % | L/L | 0.011% = 0.01 L/L |
| HGBHemoglobin | g/dL | g/L | 101 g/dL = 10 g/L |
| ProgesteroneProgesterone | ng/mL | nmol/L | 3.180314.469 g/mol |
| PhenobarbitalPhenobarbital | µg/mL | µmol/L | 4.306232.239 g/mol |
Common questions
Is BUN the same as urea?
No. BUN (blood urea nitrogen) is the nitrogen content of urea, reported in mg/dL. SI laboratories report urea itself in mmol/L. Multiply BUN in mg/dL by 0.3570 for urea in mmol/L: 10 mg/dL BUN is 3.57 mmol/L urea.
What units does IDEXX use for SDMA?
IDEXX reports SDMA in µg/dL, including on SI reports, and IRIS cut-offs use µg/dL. To express it in µmol/L, multiply by 0.04944: 14 µg/dL is 0.69 µmol/L.
How do I convert total T4 from µg/dL to nmol/L?
Multiply by 12.87: 2.5 µg/dL is 32.2 nmol/L. Free T4 uses the same factor from ng/dL to pmol/L.
Why are mEq/L and mmol/L the same for sodium, potassium and chloride?
Each of these ions carries one charge, so 1 mmol is 1 mEq. Calcium and magnesium carry two charges, so their mEq/L value is twice the mmol/L value.
Do reference intervals convert the same way?
The same factor converts the limits, but a reference interval belongs to the analyzer and laboratory that produced it. Compare a result with the interval on its own report.
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