Specimen Required

Patient Preparation: High concentrations of gadolinium, iodine, and barium are known to interfere with most metal tests. If gadolinium-, iodine, or barium-containing contrast media has been administered, the specimen should not be collected for 96 hours.

Supplies:

-Metal Free Specimen Vial (T173)

-Metal Free B-D Tube (No Additive), 6 mL (T184)

Collection Container/Tube: 6-mL Plain, royal blue-top Vacutainer plastic trace element blood collection tube

Submission Container/Tube: 7-mL Mayo metal-free, screw-capped, polypropylene vial

Specimen Volume: 0.8 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. This specimen must always be drawn first.

2. Do not collect specimen from a line.

3. Allow the specimen to clot for 30 minutes; then centrifuge the specimen to separate serum from the cellular fraction. Serum must be removed from cellular fraction within 4 hours of specimen collection. Avoid hemolysis.

4. Remove the stopper. Carefully pour specimen into a Mayo metal-free, polypropylene vial, avoiding transfer of the cellular components of blood. Do not insert a pipet into the serum to accomplish transfer, and do not ream the specimen with a wooden stick to assist with serum transfer.

5. See Metals Analysis Specimen Collection and Transport for complete instructions.