Test ID: MOLPS
Molybdenum, Serum
Secondary ID
A test code used for billing and in test definitions created prior to November 2011
NY State Approved
Indicates the status of NY State approval and if the test is orderable for NY State clients.
Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful
Monitoring of parenteral nutrition.
Monitoring metallic prosthetic implant wear.
As an indicator of molybdenum cofactor disease.
Special Instructions and Forms
Describes specimen collection and preparation information, test algorithms, and other information pertinent to test. Also includes pertinent information and consent forms to be used when requesting a particular test
Method Name
A short description of the method used to perform the test
Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)
Reporting Name
A shorter/abbreviated version of the Published Name for a test; an abbreviated test name
Aliases
Lists additional common names for a test, as an aid in searching
Molybdenum (Mo)
Specimen Type
Describes the specimen type needed for testing
Specimen Required
Defines the optimal specimen. This field describes the type of specimen required to perform the test and the preferred volume to complete testing. The volume allows automated processing, fastest throughput and, when indicated, repeat or reflex testing.
Container/Tube: Plain, royal blue-top Monoject trace element blood collection tube-product #8881-307006 (Supply T184)
Specimen Volume: 1.6 mL
Collection Instructions: See Metals Analysis-Collection and Transport in Special Instructions for complete instructions.
Additional Information: High concentrations of gadolinium and iodine are known to interfere with most metals tests. If either gadolinium- or iodine-containing contrast media has been administered, a specimen should not be collected for 96 hours.
Specimen Minimum Volume
Defines the amount of specimen required to perform an assay once, including instrument and container dead space. Submitting the minimum specimen volume makes it impossible to repeat the test or perform confirmatory or perform reflex testing. In some situations, a minimum specimen volume may result in a QNS (quantity not sufficient) result, requiring a second specimen to be collected.
Reject Due To
Identifies specimen types and conditions that may cause the specimen to be rejected
| Hemolysis | Mild OK; Gross OK |
| Lipemia | Mild OK; Gross OK |
| Icterus | Mild OK; Gross reject |
| Other | NA |
Specimen Stability Information
Provides a description of the temperatures required to transport a specimen to the laboratory. Alternate acceptable temperature(s) are also included.
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Serum | Refrigerated (preferred) | 14 days |
| Ambient | 14 days | |
| Frozen | 14 days |
Clinical Information
Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test
Molybdenum is an essential trace element found in the daily diet. It is a cofactor for some enzymes important in nitrogen metabolism (aldehyde dehydrogenase, xanthine oxidase, NADH dehydrogenase). Due to the wide distribution of molybdenum in the environment and particularly in plant materials, molybdenum deficiency is rare in adults with normal, diverse diets. Typical molybdenum intake in most geographic locations is between 45 and 90 mcg/day. Urine is the primary source of excretion, though excesses are sometimes excreted by the biliary route.
Molybdenum deficiency associated with parenteral nutrition is indicated by symptoms such as stunted growth, reduced appetite, tachycardia, tachypnea, blindness and coma. These symptoms can be corrected by introducing molybdenum supplementation. Molybdenum cofactor disease is a severe genetic disorder which is due to defective mutations in the MOCS1, MOCS2, and GEPH genes.
Molybdenum toxicity is rare and usually related to molybdenum mining exposure; however, it has been observed in cases of intake >400 mcg/day. Molybdenum interferes with copper uptake; molybdenum toxicity is predominantly due to copper deficiency (hypochromic anemia and neutropenia) and inhibition of xanthine oxidase (uric acid accumulation).
Serum molybdenum concentrations are likely to be increased above the reference range in patients with metallic joint prosthesis. Prosthetic devices produced by Depuy Company, Dow Corning, Howmedica, LCS, PCA, Osteonics, Richards Company, Tricon, and Whiteside, typically are made of chromium, cobalt, and molybdenum. This list of products is incomplete, and these products change occasionally; see prosthesis product information for each device for composition details.
Reference Values
Describes reference intervals and additional information for interpretation of test results. May include intervals based on age and sex when appropriate. Intervals are Mayo-derived, unless otherwise designated. If an interpretive report is provided, the reference value field will state this.
0.3-2.0 ng/mL
Interpretation
Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results
Prosthesis wear is known to result in increased circulating concentrations of metal ions.(5-7) Serum concentrations >10 ng/mL in a patient with molybdenum-based implant suggest significant prosthesis wear. Increased serum trace element concentrations in the absence of corroborating clinical information do not independently predict prosthesis wear or failure.
Serum molybdenum <0.3 ng/mL indicates potential deficiency.
Increased serum molybdenum may be seen in acute viral hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, and other forms of liver inflammation.
Cautions
Discusses conditions that may cause diagnostic confusion, including improper specimen collection and handling, inappropriate test selection, and interfering substances
High concentrations of gadolinium and iodine are known to interfere with most metals tests. If either gadolinium- or iodine-containing contrast media has been administered, a specimen should not be collected for 96 hours.
Clinical Reference
Provides recommendations for further in-depth reading of a clinical nature
1. Third National Report on Exposure to Environmental Chemicals (NHANES). NCEH Publication 05-0570. Department of Human Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 2005.
2. Shenkin A, Baines M, Fell GS, Lyon TDG: Vitamins and trace elements. In Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics. Edited by CA Burtis, ER Ashwood, DA Bruns. Elsevier Saunders. St. Louis, 2006, p 1132
3. Yoshida M, O'ta S, Fukunaga K, Nishivama T: Serum molybdenum concentration in healthy Japanese adults determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2006;20(1):19-23
4. Reiss J, Johnson J: Mutations in the molybdenum cofactor biosynthetic genes MOCS1, MOCS2, and GEPH. Hum Mutat 2003;21(6):569-576
5. Witzleb WC, Ziegler J, Krummenauer F, et al: Exposure to chromium, cobalt and molybdenum from metal-on-metal total hip replacement and hip resurfacing arthroplasty. Acta Orthop 2006;77(5):697-705
Method Description
Describes how the test is performed and provides a method-specific reference
This assay is performed on an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer. Calibrating standards and blanks are diluted with an aqueous acidic diluent containing internal standard(s). Quality control specimens and patient samples are diluted in an identical manner. In turn, all diluted blanks, calibrating standards, quality control specimens and patient specimens are aspirated into a pneumatic nebulizer and the resulting aerosol directed to the hot plasma discharge by a flow of argon. In the annular plasma, the aerosol is vaporized, atomized, then ionized. The ionized gases plus neutral species formed in the annular plasma space are aspirated from the plasma through an orifice into a quadrapole mass spectrometer. The mass range from 1 to 263 amu is rapidly scanned multiple times and ion counts tabulated for each mass of interest. Instrument response is defined by the linear relationship of analyte concentration vs. ion count ratio (analyte ion count/internal standard ion count). Analyte concentrations are derived by reading the ion count ratio for each mass of interest and determining the concentration from the response line.(Unpublished Mayo method)
Day(s) and Time(s) Test Performed
Outlines the days and times the test is performed. This field reflects the day and time the sample must be in the testing laboratory to begin the testing process and includes any specimen preparation and processing time required before the test is performed. Some tests are listed as continuously performed, which means assays are performed several times during the day.
Thursday; 11 a.m.
Analytic Time
Defines the amount of time it takes the laboratory to setup and perform the test. This is defined in number of days. The shortest interval of time expressed is "same day/1 day," which means the results may be available the same day that the sample is received in the testing laboratory. One day means results are available 1 day after the sample is received in the laboratory.
Maximum Laboratory Time
Defines the maximum time from specimen receipt at Mayo Medical Laboratories until the release of the test result
Specimen Retention Time
Outlines the length of time after testing that a specimen is kept in the laboratory before it is discarded
Performing Laboratory Location
The location of the laboratory that performs the test
Test Classification
Provides information regarding the medical device classification for laboratory test kits and reagents. Tests may be classified as cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and used per manufacturer's instructions, or as products that do not undergo full FDA review and approval, and are then labeled as an Analyte Specific Reagent (ASR), Investigation Use Only (IUO) product, or a Research Use Only (RUO) product.
CPT Code Information
Provides guidance in determining the appropriate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code(s) information for each test or profile. The listed CPT codes reflect Mayo Medical Laboratories interpretation of CPT coding requirements. It is the responsibility of each laboratory to determine correct CPT codes to use for billing.
82190
LOINC® Code Information
Provides guidance in determining the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) values for the result codes returned for this test or profile.
| Result ID | Reporting Name | LOINC Code |
|---|---|---|
| 89270 | Molybdenum, S | 5698-6 |


