Selenium, Plasma or Serum
Test Mnemonic
PSELEN
CPT Codes
- 84255 - QTY (1)
Performing Laboratory
ARUP
Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 mL | Plasma | EDTA (Royal blue) | Ambient | 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). Separate plasma from cells ASAP or within 2 hours of collection and aliquot into a trace metal-free transport tube (ARUP #43116). |
Alternate Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 mL | Serum | No additive (Navy Blue) | Ambient | 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). Separate 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
Sun - Sat
Turnaround Time
2 - 4 days
Methodology
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Inductively Coupled Plasma / Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) |
Reference Range
| Selenium, Plasma | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | Age From | Age To | Type | Range | Range Unit |
| Normal | 23.0 - 190.0 | 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: Specimens that are not separated from the red cells or clot within 2 hours. Specimens collected and/or transported in containers other than specified. This test is New York DOH approved.
Clinical Info
Serum selenium levels can be used in the determination of deficiency or toxicity. Plasma and serum contains 75% of the selenium measured in whole blood and reflects recent dietary intake. Selenium deficiency can occur endemically or as a result of sustained TPN or restricted diets and has been associated with cardiomyopathy and may exacerbate hypothyroidism. Selenium toxicity is relatively rare. Excess intake of selenium can result in symptoms consistent with selenosis, including mild nerve damage, gastrointestinal upset, white blotchy nails, and hair loss. Elevated results may be due to contamination from skin or other collection-related issues, including the use of a noncertified metal-free collection/transport tube. If contamination concerns exist due to elevated levels of serum/plasma selenium, confirmation with a second specimen collected in a certified metal-free tube is recommended.