| Specimen requirement | Whole Blood | Urine |
| Adult patient: Special EDTA tube for trace elements Minimum blood volume: 2.6 mL |
Spot urine: Special acid wash bottle for trace elements Volume: 10 mL
|
|
| Paediatric patient: Special EDTA tube for trace elements Minimum blood volume: 1.3 mL
|
||
| Authorisation code required | No | No |
| 24 Hr available service | No | No |
| Method | Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) | |
| Reference interval |
Whole blood:
< 40 nmol/L
(Source: Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2010; 48: 388 - 9)
Urine:
< 6 nmol/mmol Cr
(Source: Trace Elements in Human Nutrition WHO 1996) |
|
| Clinical indication | Cr (III) enhances the action of insulin thus glucose tolerance while Cr (VI) is an allergen and carcinogen. Measurement is for: - Detect chromium exposure and / or toxicity. - Monitor wear of metal-on-metal hip implants. |
|
| Result interpretation |
Blood chromium is useful to monitor exposure, progress of medical treatment or determine nutritional status. Urine chromium declines rapidly after removal from exposure, suitable for occupational monitoring. |
|
| Measurement of uncertainty | See table. | |
| Frequency of measurement | Weekly | |