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Aluminum, Serum

Al

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB5935, Beaker: XAL, Mayo: AL

Department

Send Outs

Instructions

High concentrations of gadolinium and iodine are known to interfere with most metal tests. If either gadolinium- or iodine-containing contrast media has been administered, a specimen should not be collected for 96 hours.

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect: One Royal Blue-top tube with no additives.

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Allow the specimen to clot for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 4 hours. Centrifuge to separate serum from cells within 6 hours of collection. Transfer serum to a metal-free plastic transport tube and maintain at room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F).

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: 1.2 mL serum at room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F). (Minimum: 0.3 mL)

Rejection Criteria

• Serum Separator (SST) tubes.
• Specimens not separated from red cells or clot within 4 hours of collection.
• Specimens not collected and processed as indicated.

In-Lab Processing

Allow the specimen to clot for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 4 hours. Centrifuge to separate serum from cells within 6 hours of collection. Transfer serum to a metal-free plastic transport tube and maintain at room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F).

Transport: 1.2 mL serum at room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F). (Minimum: 0.3 mL) 

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 7 days
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 7 days
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): 7 days

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

Specimen retention time is determined by the policy of the reference laboratory. Contact the Send Outs Laboratory with any questions.

Laboratory

Sent to Mayo Clinic Laboratories, Rochester, MN.

Performed

Monday.
Results available in 2-8 days.

Reference Range

<7 ng/mL
<60 ng/mL (dialysis patients)

Test Methodology

Quantitative Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry.

Interpretation

Serum aluminum greater than 50 mcg/L is consistent with overload and may correlate with toxicity. Elevated results from non-certified trace element-free tubes may be due to contamination. Elevated concentrations of trace elements in serum should be confirmed with a second specimen collected in a trace element-free tube, such as royal blue sterile tube (no additive).

Clinical Utility

This assay is used to monitor aluminum exposure in hemodialysis, to monitor for toxicity or bone burden of aluminum, and to diagnose a type of bone disease in chronic renal failure.

CPT Codes

82108

Contacts

Last Updated

10/16/2023