Text size: a a a

Laboratory Medicine

Test Catalogue

Drug Screen, Serum (Toxicology Screen, Serum Tox Screen)

Test Name

Serum Drug Screen (Toxicology Screen)

Red Tube Specimen Type / Requirements

Container Type = 1 Red Top

Minimum Testing Volume = 2mL Serum

Tube must fill to at least ½ or greater of its vacuum capacity

Specimen Handling

Collection Instructions: Collect sample in red top tube. Avoid gold top (SST). When evaluating for possible toxicity, sample should be drawn 4-6 hour post-ingestion. Collect a second sample three to four hours later. Write your initials, date and time of collection on the collection label or requisition.

Tests included in serum toxicology panel .
Serum Alcohols: Acetone, ethanol, methanol, isopropanol ** MUST ORDER ETHYLENE GLYCOL SEPARATELY**.
Serum Drug Screens: Barbiturates, benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants.
Analgesics: Acetaminophen, salicylate.

Laboratory Staff Instructions: Separate samples from cells as soon as possible. Repeated freezing and thawing of samples should be avoided.

Rejection Criteria: Gel separator, unlabeled or samples of non sufficient quantity.

Stability: Stable refrigerated for 7 days.

Transportation: Send sample to core lab as soon as possible.

Required Documentation

Turnaround Time (TAT)

1 hour for Trauma / Stat
2 hours for routine

Test Utilization

Reference Value

Not Detected

Test Code

DRS

Methodology

Variou Methods

Testing Location

SMH-Biochemistry

Other Information

Last Updated: November 18, 2022