Breakspear Medical Pathology Department

Urinary Toxic & Essential Elements

Analysis of elements in urine provides diagnostic information on toxic elements such as lead, cadmium, nickel, beryllium, arsenic, aluminium and mercury.  Urine element analysis also provides quantitative monitoring of element detoxification treatments, and assessment of the efficiency of renal resorption of essential elements.

For diagnosis of the presence of certain toxic element burdens, a provocation test is recommended.  A provocation test involves urine collection following oral or intravenous administration of chelating or complexing agents that mobilise the element from otherwise slowly exchanging tissue pools.

Key features:

• Measures toxic element burden and essential element wasting
• Monitors detoxification therapy
• Interpretive report provided