Toxicology

Toxicology assessment is supported by the Drug Laboratory and the Metals Laboratory. These laboratories provide a broad range of toxicology testing with special expertise in consultation on clinical problems related to therapeutic drug monitoring, drug toxicity, trace and heavy metal toxicity, and detection of drug abuse. All test results are clinically correlated and in-depth phone consultation with toxicology experts is available.

Special features of the Drug Laboratory:

• Testing performed by state-of-the-art technology including:
  • Immunoassay
  • Ultraviolet and fluorescence spectrophotometry (SP)
  • Gas chromatography (GC)
  • High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
  • Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
  • Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
• Broad-spectrum clinical drug screening confirmed by GC-MS
• Can perform chain-of-custody analysis for medicolegal applications, but Mayo Clinic does NOT perform workplace-related drug testing

Special features of the Metals Laboratory:

• Testing performed by state-of-the-art technology including:
  • Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)
  • Inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-emission spectroscopy
  • Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy
  • Fourier transform infrared spectrometry
• Ultra-clean class 100 laboratory with particulate matter in the air <100 parts per billion
• Very cost-effective essential element analysis using ICPatomic emission spectroscopy and toxic element analysis using ICP-MS
• Due to the methodologies used for metals testing, occasionally an abnormal result for an analyte not ordered is identified. These results will be reported, along with the originally requested results, at no additional charge.