Sign in →

Test Code HGCU Mercury/Creatinine Ratio, Random, Urine


Specimen Required


Only orderable as part of profile. For more information see:

-HGUCR / Mercury/Creatinine Ratio, Random, Urine

-HMUCR / Heavy Metal/Creatinine Ratio, with Reflex, Random Urine.


Useful For

Detecting mercury toxicity using random urine specimens

Method Name

Only orderable as part of profile. For more information see:

-HGUCR / Mercury/Creatinine Ratio, Random, Urine

-HMUCR / Heavy Metal/Creatinine Ratio, with Reflex, Random Urine.

 

Triple-Quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS)

Reporting Name

Mercury/Creatinine Ratio, U

Specimen Type

Urine

Specimen Minimum Volume

1.5 mL

Specimen Stability Information

Specimen Type Temperature Time Special Container
Urine Refrigerated (preferred) 7 days
  Frozen  7 days

Reject Due To

  All specimens will be evaluated at Mayo Clinic Laboratories for test suitability.

Clinical Information

The correlation between the levels of mercury (Hg) excretion in the urine and the clinical symptoms is considered poor.

 

Previous thought indicated urine as a more appropriate marker of inorganic mercury because organic mercury represented only a small fraction of urinary mercury. Based on possible demethylation of methylmercury within the body, urine may represent a mixture of dietary methylmercury and inorganic mercury. Seafood consumption can contribute to urinary mercury levels (up to 30%),(1) which is consistent with the suggestion that due to demethylation processes in the human body, a certain proportion of urinary mercury can originate from dietary consumption of fish/seafood.(2).

 

For more information see HG / Mercury, Blood.

Reference Values

Only orderable as part of profile. For more information see:

-HGUCR / Mercury/Creatinine Ratio, Random, Urine

-HMUCR / Heavy Metal/Creatinine Ratio, with Reflex, Random Urine.

 

0-17 years: Not established

≥18 years: <2 mcg/g creatinine

Interpretation

Daily urine excretion of mercury above 50 mcg/day indicates significant exposure (per World Health Organization standard).

Specimen Retention Time

14 days

Performing Laboratory

Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester

Test Classification

This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. It has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

LOINC Code Information

Test ID Test Order Name Order LOINC Value
HGCU Mercury/Creatinine Ratio, U 13465-0

 

Result ID Test Result Name Result LOINC Value
608903 Mercury/Creatinine Ratio, U 13465-0

Day(s) Performed

Monday through Friday

Report Available

2 to 4 days

CPT Code Information

83825