Ferritin Unit Converter
Enter the ferritin value from your blood test and the unit your laboratory printed. The converter shows the same number in ng/mL, µg/L and pmol/L at once, with the standard adult reference ranges alongside it for comparison.
Converted value
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Converted value
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- ng/mL
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- µg/L
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- pmol/L
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Adult ranges quoted by Mayo Clinic Laboratories
- Adult men — —
- Adult women — —
Reference only. Ranges differ substantially between laboratories, so use the range printed on your own report. A result is interpreted by a clinician alongside the rest of the panel and your history.
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How ferritin blood test units convert
The two units most laboratories print are ng/mL and µg/L, and they are numerically identical: 1 ng in 1 mL is 1000 ng in 1 L, which is 1 µg in 1 L. A report of 68 ng/mL and a report of 68 µg/L carry exactly the same measurement, so no arithmetic is needed to compare a US report with a European one.
pmol/L is the molar SI unit, used on some reports in Europe and Canada. Because it counts molecules rather than mass, the conversion depends on the molecular weight of ferritin, roughly 445,000 g/mol. That gives 1 ng/mL = 2.247 pmol/L, so 100 ng/mL is 100 µg/L and 224.7 pmol/L. The converter divides by 2.247 to go the other way, and only rounds once, for display.
For comparison, Mayo Clinic Laboratories quotes an adult range of 24–336 ng/mL for men and 11–307 ng/mL for women. Ranges differ substantially between laboratories because assays, methods and reference populations differ, so the range printed on your own report is the one that applies to your result. Ferritin is also an acute-phase reactant: it rises with inflammation, infection and liver disease, which is why clinicians read it alongside other markers rather than on its own.
ng/mL = µg/L · pmol/L = ng/mL × 2.247 · ng/mL = pmol/L ÷ 2.247 This tool converts units on a result you already have. It does not interpret that result and is not a diagnosis. Laboratory results are interpreted by a clinician alongside the full panel and the person's own history.
MedlinePlus: Ferritin Blood Test ↗NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Iron ↗
Ferritin blood test units FAQ
Is ferritin in ng/mL the same as µg/L?
Yes, exactly. One nanogram per milliliter equals one microgram per liter, so 45 ng/mL and 45 µg/L are the same measurement written two ways. If a second report uses the other label, the number can be compared directly with no conversion.
Why do some laboratories report ferritin in pmol/L?
pmol/L is the molar SI unit and is used on some reports in Europe and Canada. Converting from a mass unit to a molar one needs the molecular weight of the molecule, about 445,000 g/mol for ferritin, which works out to 1 ng/mL = 2.247 pmol/L.
What does a ferritin blood test measure?
Ferritin is the protein that stores iron inside cells. A small amount circulates in the blood, and the ferritin blood test measures that circulating amount. It is one of several markers a clinician may order together, such as hemoglobin, serum iron and transferrin saturation.
Why do ferritin reference ranges differ between laboratories?
Different laboratories use different assays, instruments and reference populations, so the range printed at the side of a result is specific to that laboratory. The ranges shown here are the adult ranges published by Mayo Clinic Laboratories and are included for comparison only — use the range on your own report.
Why can ferritin be raised by inflammation?
Ferritin is an acute-phase reactant, meaning the body produces more of it during inflammation, infection and in liver disease, independently of how much iron is stored. That is why a ferritin value is read alongside other markers and the person's history rather than interpreted on its own.