How are prealbumin levels typically measured?

Prealbumin levels are typically measured by immunonephelometry. This method takes advantage of the principle of light scattering, where particles in a solution scatter light in a way that can be measured to quantify the concentration of a particular protein, such as prealbumin. Immunonephelometry is highly sensitive and provides rapid results, making it suitable for clinical diagnostics, especially in assessing protein status and nutritional assessment.

While other methods like immunoassay and radioimmunoassay could be used for various proteins, they are not the standard for measuring prealbumin specifically. Electrophoresis is primarily utilized for separating proteins based on their size and charge rather than for direct quantification. Therefore, immunonephelometry is the method of choice for accurately determining prealbumin levels in a laboratory setting.