Overview
The Core Lab Chemistry Laboratory performs a wide variety of tests that include:
- Blood Gases and other Acute Care Tests: Glucose, Lactate; Osmolarity, Co-oximetry and Confirmatory Glucose
- General Chemistry: Electrolytes, Enzymes, Proteins, Lipids etc.
- Special Chemistry: Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM), Toxicology screens, Endocrinology tests, Sweat test
The Chemistry Laboratory is open 24 hours, daily. All blood gas testing is run on a Stat basis. General Chemistries are available on a Routine and Stat basis (results available within one hour). Special chemistries are available on a Routine basis. Also, Therapeutic drugs and Toxicology screens are available on a routine and stat basis. Refer to the Chemistry Stat List for test/status information.
Blood Gas Specimens
Blood gas specimens require a full name of the specimen collector, sealed capped air tight in a heparinized syringe with no bubbles. Proper mixing at the time of collection is essential to prevent clot formation.
Specimens transported via the pneumatic tube system should be double bagged. Blood gas specimens delivered by courier should be on ice and bagged. The requisition form accompanying a blood gas specimen must have the date and time of collection and the collector's full signature. Attach Epic label to second copy of blood gas slip.
For ionized Calcium test, a full 0.7 mL of whole blood in a 1 mL heparinized syringe or 2 mL in a 3 mL syringe is required.
Criteria for Specimen Rejection or Not Analyzed (General)
- Unlabeled Specimen; With or Without a Requisition
- Mismatch of information on specimen with requisition
- Received in leaking, cracked or broken container
- Collected in wrong syringe or tube type
- Specimen Transported improperly, e.g. not on ice for Arterial Blood Gas
- Exposure to light: applies to specific tests only
Criteria for Specimen Rejection or Not Analyzed (Blood Gas Laboratory)
- Clotted Specimen
- QNS (quantity not sufficient)
- Air in Syringe
- Delay in delivery: Stated drawn time to received time greater than 30 min.
Chemistry Panels
Several panels are available for general chemistries.
- Electrolyte Panel (LYTES)
Na, K, Cl, CO2 (min. vol. 0.4mL) - Basic Metabolic Panel
Na, K, Cl, CO2, BUN, Calcium, Creatinine, Glucose (min. vol. 0.5mL) - Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
Na, K, Cl, CO2, BUN, Creatinine, Glucose, Calcium, Total Bilirubin, Albumin, Total Protein, AST, ALT, Alkaline Phosphatase (min. vol. 0.8mL) - Hepatic Function Panel
Total and Direct Bilirubin, Albumin, Total Protein, AST, ALT, Alkaline Phosphatase (min. vol. 0.5mL) - Lipid protein Panel (LIPO) Fasting sample for Cholesterol, Triglyceride, HDL Cholesterol (min. vol. 0.8mL)
Location and Hours
Main Building, Room 5141
Hours of Operation
24 hours, 7 days a week
Contact Us
- (215) 590-1823
- Contact Us Online