ARUP's Laboratory Test Directory

Thallium, Urine : 0025019

Mnemonic: THALU

Methodology: Quantitative Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry
Performed: Wed, Sat
Reported: 1-5 days
Specimen Required: 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). High concentrations of iodine may interfere with elemental testing. Abstinence from iodine-containing medications or contrast agents for at least 1 month prior to collecting specimens for elemental testing is recommended.

Collect: 24-hour or random urine collection. Specimen must be collected in a plastic container. ARUP studies indicate that refrigeration of urine alone, during and after collection, preserves specimens adequately, if tested within 14 days of collection.

Specimen Preparation: Transfer an 8 mL aliquot from a well-mixed collection to ARUP Trace Element-Free Transport Tubes (ARUP supply #43116). Available online through eSupply using ARUP Connect™ or contact ARUP Client Services at (800) 522-2787. (Min: 1 mL) Record total volume and collection time interval on transport tube and on test request form.

Storage/Transport Temperature: Refrigerated. Also acceptable: Room temperature or frozen.

Unacceptable Conditions: Urine collected within 48 hours after administration of a gadolinium (Gd) containing contrast media (may occur with MRI studies). Acid preserved urine.

Stability (collection to initiation of testing): Ambient: 1 week; Refrigerated: 2 weeks; Frozen: 1 year
Reference Interval:

Test Number Components Reference Interval
Thallium, Urine - per volume 0-5 µg/L
Thallium, Urine - per 24h Not Established
Thallium, Urine - ratio to CRT Not Established
0020473Creatinine, 24-Hour Urine
Age Male Female
3-8 years 140-700 mg/d 140-700 mg/d
9-12 years 300-1300 mg/d 300-1300 mg/d
13-17 years 500-2300 mg/d 400-1600 mg/d
18-50 years 1000-2500 mg/d 700-1600 mg/d
51-80 years 800-2100 mg/d 500-1400 mg/d
81 years and older 600-2000 mg/d 400-1300 mg/d

Interpretive Data: Urinary thallium levels may reflect recent or chronic exposure and the presence of thallium in urine after acute exposure may persist for up to several weeks. Concentrations less than 5 µg/L are unlikely to cause adverse health effects while concentrations greater than 500 µg/L have been associated with clinical poisoning. After severe thallium poisoning reported symptoms have varying times of onset and include gastroenteritis, multi-organ failure and neurologic injury. Peripheral neuropathy and alopecia are well-documented effects of acute and chronic exposure. Human health effects from low level thallium exposure are unknown.

See Compliance Statement B: www.aruplab.com/CS
CPT Code(s): 83018
Cross References: Thallium/Creatinine Ratio, Random, Urine (Thallium, Urine), TLU (Thallium, Urine)