Lead, Blood, Capillary or Venous Specimens
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| WSLH Department: | Chemical Emergency Response - Clinical Metals |
| WSLH Test Code: | TX00468 |
| Day(s) Performed: | Monday-Friday |
| Turn-around Time: | 4 working days |
| Recommended Uses: | Blood lead testing for the identification of childhood lead poisoning or adult exposure. |
| Contraindications: | |
| Additional Tests Performed: |
| Patient Preparations: | No specific patient preparation is required. |
| Specimen Requirements: | Capillary specimens may be collected on children (collection kit provided upon request). A capillary sample volume of 100 mcL is requested. Caution must be taken throughout the collection process to prevent environmental contamination of the specimens. Label with patient name and date of birth. Note that a venous specimen is required for diagnostic and medical management purposes. 2 mL of whole blood collected in evacuated tubes with EDTA (purple top), preferred. Heparin anticoagulant (green top), acceptable. (For pediatric collections, the minimum sample volume is 0.1 mL.) |
| Specimen Handling & Transport: | The specimens are stable at room temperature. For shipments subject to delay or during seasonally high temperatures, refrigerate and ship specimens with a cool pack. Frozen samples are acceptable. USPS ground ship acceptable. |
| Collection Kit/Container: |
Clinical Toxicology Kit #6- Lead in Capillary Blood
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| Collection Instructions: | Standard venous blood collection procedures are appropriate. Refer to Collection of Diagnostic Venous Blood Specimens 7th ed. CLSI standard GP41. Capillary collection instructions will be provided with the kit. Also reference Collection of Capillary Blood Specimens. 7th ed. CLSI standard GP42. |
| Unacceptable Conditions: | Anticoagulated whole blood is required; serum and plasma are unsuitable samples. |
| Requisition Form: |
Clinical Metals Submission Form
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| Required Information: | Laboratory regulations require the following minimum information to be provided on the Clinical Metals Submission Form for a specimen to be accepted for testing: Patient name or unique identifier; date of collection, patient date of birth and sex, specimen type/site of collection (capillary/venous), test request(s), reason for referral, clinician name and NPI, and address for reporting results. Please be certain that name/identifier on the form matches that on the specimen label. |
| Results Include: | Acceptable range: Children 0-3.5 mcg/100 mL, Adults 0-40 mcg/100mL |
| Limitations: | A venous specimen is the preferred specimen type due to the smaller risk of environmental contamination. Elevated blood lead results on capillary specimens should be confirmed using a venous specimen. |
| Additional Tests Recommended: | |
| Additional Comments: | See Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for the interpretation of lead and erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP) blood levels. https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/data/blood-lead-reference-value.htm For information regarding appropriate medical and environmental follow-up for children with elevated blood lead levels, contact the WI Division of Public Health Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at 608-266-5817. For information regarding adult lead exposure, the Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance Program (ABLES), the Occupational Safety and Health Agency onsite occupational health/industrial hygiene consultation for small and medium sized businesses, and lead training and certification, contact the WI Department of Health & Family Services - Occupational Health at (608) 264-9829 or email DHSOccHealth@dhs.wisconsin.gov |
| Methodology: | Whole blood is diluted with a matrix modifier solution of ammonium phosphate/Triton X-100/nitric acid and analyzed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. |
| Includes: | Evaluation of potential lead poisoning |
| CPT Code: | 83655 |
| Price: | $21.00 |