Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is recognized as an effective instrument for detecting substance and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a prolonged timeline of substance influence by embedding biomarkers within the hair strand's fibers as it grows. Hair, when gathered near the scalp, can offer close to a 90-day insight into substance and alcohol history. It's easy to obtain, relatively tamper-proof, and straightforward for transportation.
A collection of 1.5-inch segment from about 200 hair strands (roughly a #2 pencil's thickness) nearest the scalp results in 100mg, the perfect amount for analysis and validation. For EtG, additional panels, or tests extending beyond 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. It's best to assess the sample's weight using a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair is not accessible, a similar volume of body hair can be an alternative. When we mention head hair, it indicates scalp hair exclusively. Body hair includes all other varieties (e.g., facial, axillary, etc.).
Procedure Summary
The laboratory workflow for a substance test outcome includes four primary phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Verification.
Accessioning entails the preliminary handling of a specimen within a lab's platform. This step ensures the sample was correctly sealed and dispatched, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fills in any missing information not supplied by an electronic custody system.
Screening provides an initial rapid assessment for abused substances. Although Screening offers a cost-efficient means of excluding substance use in most cases, a positive outcome necessitates a Confirmation to be valid in legal situations. All presumptively positive screenings require follow-up confirmation.
Once a sample shows a presumptive positive in Screening, additional hair is taken from the starting sample for Extraction. During this phase, substances are isolated from hair at an even lower concentration than other methods (like urine or oral fluids), making hair substance analysis the most challenging technique to undertake.
Positive Screening results must be authenticated using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumptive positives undergo cleansing before Confirmation if necessary. The complete lab procedure, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.
Benefits of hair substance analysis:
Drawbacks:
Note: Commonly known as "hair follicle analyses", the assessment focuses on the hair strand, not the root beneath the scalp.
Hair follicle testing offers superior accuracy and reliability compared to urine tests in Topsfield, MA. It excels in detecting drug use, providing more consistent results.
Hair follicle tests in Topsfield, MA, offer an extensive detection period, revealing drug use for up to 90 days. This provides employers a thorough view of an individual's substance history.
In Topsfield, MA, hair follicle tests greatly minimize tampering risk, ensuring reliable, unquestionable results with reduced sample adulteration potential.
With nationwide testing centers, including Topsfield, MA, obtaining hair follicle tests is convenient and hassle-free, ensuring quick and easy access to services.
The process of ordering, taking, and receiving hair follicle test results in Topsfield, MA, is simple and confidential, ensuring privacy and ease for all involved.
Offering competitive pricing and fast turnaround times, hair follicle testing in Topsfield, MA, provides excellent value, accommodating businesses of all sizes with peace of mind.
In Topsfield, MA, hair follicle drug tests provide rapid and dependable results. They boast high accuracy, detecting substance usage with precision, enabling informed decisions.
Employers in Topsfield, MA, benefit from hair follicle testing through improved compliance with drug-free policies, enhancing workplace safety and reducing legal risks.