Neurology & psychiatry

Neurofilament light chain (CSF) unit converter

CSF axonal damage marker; research use, no established clinical reference range

Also known as: CSF NfL, cNfL

Converter

Enter a value in any unit and all other units fill in.

ng/mL pg/mL ng/dL

Worked example

368 pg/mL (middle of the reference range) = 0.368 ng/mL

Conversion formulas

ng/mL	ng/mL = pg/mL × 0.001	pg/mL = ng/mL × 1000
ng/dL	ng/dL = pg/mL × 0.1	pg/mL = ng/dL × 10

Good to know

Neurofilament light chain (NfL) in cerebrospinal fluid is reported in pg/mL (= ng/L) or in ng/mL.

1 ng/mL = 1000 pg/mL; 1 pg/mL = 1 ng/L.
NfL rises steeply with age, so the upper limit shown (age 40) is only a rough guide; see the age table in the source note. The assay (for example Simoa) also changes the numbers.

Reference range

Unit	Adults
ng/mL	0 – 0.736
pg/mL	0 – 736
ng/dL	0 – 73.6

Source: Halbgebauer et al. (2025): Neurofilament light chain reference values in serum and CSF, J Neurol (PMC) · Last reviewed: 2026-10-19

Note from the source: Upper limit (95th percentile) at age 40: 736 pg/mL. Strongly age-dependent: 479 at age 20, 951 at 50, 1343 at 60, 1933 at 70, 2851 pg/mL at 80 (median at 40: 344 pg/mL; control patients, one assay). 1 pg/mL = 1 ng/L

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert Neurofilament light chain (CSF) from pg/mL to ng/mL?

ng/mL = pg/mL × 0.001. In the other direction: pg/mL = ng/mL × 1000.

What is the reference range of Neurofilament light chain (CSF)?

For adults the range is 0 – 736 pg/mL (Halbgebauer et al. (2025): Neurofilament light chain reference values in serum and CSF, J Neurol (PMC)). Reference ranges differ between laboratories and partly by sex and age; use the range printed on your lab report.

Which units are used for Neurofilament light chain (CSF)?

Common units are ng/mL, pg/mL, ng/dL.