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Test Code HGHAR Mercury, Hair

Reporting Name

Mercury, Hair

Performing Laboratory

Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester

Useful For

Detecting mercury exposure in hair specimens

Method Name

Triple-Quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS)


Necessary Information


Indicate source of hair (axillary, head, or pubic) if known.



Specimen Required


Supplies: Hair and Nails Collection Kit (T565)

Source: Head, beard, mustache, chest, pubic

Specimen Volume: 0.2 g

Collection Instructions: Prepare and transport specimen per the instructions in the kit or see Collecting Hair and Nails for Metals Testing.


Specimen Type

Hair

Specimen Minimum Volume

0.05 g

Specimen Stability Information

Specimen Type Temperature Time
Hair Ambient (preferred)
  Frozen 
  Refrigerated 

Reject Due To

  All specimens will be evaluated at Mayo Clinic Laboratories for test suitability.

Reference Values

0-15 years: Not established

≥16 years: <1.0 mcg/g of hair

Interpretation

Hair grows at a rate of approximately 0.5 inch/month. Hair keratin synthesized today will protrude through the skin in approximately 1 week. Thus, a hair specimen collected at the skin level represents exposure of 1 week ago, 1 inch distally from the skin represents exposure 2 months ago, etc.

 

Normally, hair contains less than 1 mcg/g of mercury; any amount more than this indicates that exposure to more than normal amounts of mercury may have occurred.

Day(s) Performed

Wednesday

Report Available

2 to 14 days

Test Classification

This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. It has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

CPT Code Information

83825

LOINC Code Information

Test ID Test Order Name Order LOINC Value
HGHAR Mercury, Hair 5686-1

 

Result ID Test Result Name Result LOINC Value
31900 Mercury, Hair 5686-1
HGHSC Specimen Source 31208-2