Thallium, Whole Blood

Casandra

Casandra Test Code AR13177Version 1 (DRAFT)

Performing Lab

Lab ARUP LaboratoriesLab Test ID 0099610CPT Code 83018

Thallium, Whole Blood

Also known as: THALB

Clinical Use

Order Test

Use

Thallium, Whole Blood test is useful as a biomarker of acute thallium exposure and for assessing recent exposure levels since thallium has a biological half-life of approximately 2 to 4 days. Blood levels greater than 100 ug/L are considered toxic, and levels greater than 300 ug/L indicate severe ingestion. Symptoms of severe thallium poisoning include gastroenteritis, multiorgan failure, neurologic injury, peripheral neuropathy, and alopecia from acute and chronic exposure.

Special Instructions

Patients should discontinue nutritional supplements, vitamins, minerals, and nonessential over-the-counter medications upon physician advice to avoid interfering substances. Specimens must be collected in a royal blue (K2EDTA) or royal blue (NaHep) tube to prevent contamination. Elevated results due to contamination should be confirmed with a second specimen collected in a certified metal-free tube.

Limitations

Results may be falsely elevated due to skin or collection-related contamination, including noncertified tube use. Human health effects from low-level thallium exposure are unknown. The test performance characteristics were determined by ARUP Laboratories as a Laboratory Developed Test, not cleared by the FDA.

Test Details

New York Approved