Chromium, Serum
Test Mnemonic
CHRSER
CPT Codes
- 82495 - QTY (1)
LOINC ®
5622-6
Performing Laboratory
ARUP
Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 mL | Serum | No additive (Navy Blue) | N/A | Ambient | Do not draw separator tubes. Remove serum from cells ASAP or within 2 hours of collection and aliquot into a trace metal-free transport tube (ARUP #43116). |
Minimum Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 mL |
Stability
| Environmental Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Ambient | Indefinitely |
| Refrigerated | Indefinitely |
| Frozen | Indefinitely |
Days Performed
Mon - Sun
Turnaround Time
2 - 5 days
Methodology
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Inductively Coupled Plasma / Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) |
Reference Range
| Chromium, Serum | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | Age From | Age To | Type | Range | Range Unit |
| <= 5.0 ug/L |
Special Info
Patient Prep: Diet, medication, and nutritional supplements may introduce interfering substances. Patients should be encouraged to discontinue nutritional supplements, vitamins, minerals, and non-essential over-the-counter medications (upon the advice of their physician). Unacceptable conditions: Plasma. EDTA (royal blue) or separator tubes. Specimens that are not separated from the red cells or clot within 2 hours. Specimens transported in tubes other than specified. This test is New York DOH approved.
Clinical Info
Preferred test for evaluating metal ion release from metal-on-metal joint arthroplasty. May be useful in the assessment of deficiency or overload. For the assessment of hexavalent chromium exposure, chromium in blood or RBCs is preferred. Elevated results may be due to skin or collection-related contamination, including the use of a noncertified metal-free collection/transport tube. If contamination concerns exist due to elevated levels of serum chromium, confirmation with a second specimen collected in a certified metal-free tube is recommended. Whole blood is the preferred specimen type for evaluating chromium metal ion release from metal-on-metal joint arthroplasty. Whole blood chromium levels may be increased in asymptomatic patients with metal-on-metal prosthetics and should be considered in the context of the overall clinical scenario. The form of chromium greatly influences distribution. Trivalent chromium resides in the plasma and is usually not of clinical importance. Hexavalent chromium is considered highly toxic; however, chromium serum levels should not be used to assess toxic exposures to hexavalent chromium as it is predominately taken up and retained by red blood cells. Symptoms associated with chromium toxicity vary based on route of exposure and dose, and may include dermatitis, impairment of pulmonary function, gastroenteritis, hepatic necrosis, bleeding, and acute tubular necrosis.