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Magnesium, RBC

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB6528, Beaker: XMAGR, Warde: MGRBC

Department

Send Outs

Instructions

Diet, medication, and nutritional supplements may introduce interfering substances. Patients should be encouraged to discontinue nutritional supplements, vitamins, minerals, nonessential over-the-counter medications (upon the advice of their physician).

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect: One Royal Blue-top EDTA tube.

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Centrifuge to separate red blood cells from plasma. Discard the plasma. Transfer red blood cells to a metal free plastic transport tube and refrigerate (2-8°C or 36-46°F).

If plastic metal free tubes are not available- Centrifuge, remove plasma and send original dark blue EDTA tube with just RBCs. Write on label “RBCs”.

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: 0.5 mL red blood cells, refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F). (Minimum: 0.2 mL)

Rejection Criteria

Specimens not collected and processed as indicated.

In-Lab Processing

Centrifuge to separate red blood cells from plasma. Discard the plasma. Transfer red blood cells to a metal free plastic transport tube and refrigerate (2-8°C or 36-46°F). 

If plastic metal free tubes are not available- Centrifuge, remove plasma and send original dark blue EDTA tube with just RBCs. Write on label “RBC’s”.

Transport: 0.5 mL red blood cells, refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F). (Minimum: 0.2 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): Unacceptable

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 Warde Medical Laboratory, Ann Arbor, MI. Forwarded to Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute of Valencia, Valencia, CA.

Performed

Tuesday – Saturday.
Results available in 6-7 days.

Reference Range

4-6.4 mg/dL.

Test Methodology

Inductively Coupled Plasma/Mass Spectrometry.

CPT Codes

83735

Contacts

Last Updated

1/23/2024