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Test Code NIS Nickel, Serum

Reporting Name

Nickel, S

Useful For

Confirmation of an elevated urinary nickel concentration

 

This test is not useful for the investigation of nickel hypersensitivity.

Performing Laboratory

Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester

Specimen Type

Serum


Ordering Guidance


Urine is the preferred specimen type for determining nickel exposure and potential toxicity. Order NIU / Nickel, 24 Hour, Urine or NIUCR / Nickel/Creatinine Ratio, Random, Urine.

 

This test should not be ordered for the investigation of nickel hypersensitivity. Instead, order testing for lymphocyte proliferation to nickel.



Specimen Required


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

Supplies: Metal Free Specimen Vial (T173)

Collection Container/Tube: Royal blue-top (metal-free, no additive)

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

Specimen Volume: 0.5 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Allow the specimen to clot for 30 minutes; then centrifuge the specimen to separate serum from the cellular fraction.

2. Remove the stopper. Carefully pour specimen into a Mayo metal-free, screw-capped 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.

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


Specimen Minimum Volume

0.3 mL

Specimen Stability Information

Specimen Type Temperature Time Special Container
Serum Refrigerated (preferred) 7 days METAL FREE
  Ambient  7 days METAL FREE
  Frozen  7 days METAL FREE

Reference Values

<2.0 ng/mL

Day(s) Performed

Thursday

CPT Code Information

83885

LOINC Code Information

Test ID Test Order Name Order LOINC Value
NIS Nickel, S 5702-6

 

Result ID Test Result Name Result LOINC Value
8622 Nickel, S 5702-6

Interpretation

Values 2.0 ng/mL and higher represent possible environmental or occupational exposure to nickel (Ni).

 

Toxic Ni concentrations are greater or equal to 10 ng/mL.

 

Normal Ni values are based on a Mayo Clinic study using healthy volunteers. Toxic values have been deduced from observation and unpublished internal study.

 

Clinical concern about Ni toxicity should be limited to patients with potential for exposure to toxic Ni compounds. Hypernickelemia, in the absence of exposure, may be an incidental finding or could be due to specimen contamination.

Report Available

2 to 8 days

Reject Due To

Gross hemolysis OK
Gross lipemia OK
Gross icterus OK

Method Name

Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)