Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
The utilization of hair testing has emerged as an effective method for uncovering drug and alcohol use. Hair strands encapsulate a timeline of alcohol and drug consumption by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of hair as it grows. When gathered near the scalp, hair can offer a detection period of up to roughly 90 days for alcohol and other substances. The collection process is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and convenient for shipping.
A 1.5-inch segment composed of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil in thickness) positioned nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is optimal for both screening and validation. For EtG, additional tests, or assessments exceeding 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is advisable. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample is suggested. If scalp hair is inaccessible, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be utilized. Head hair pertains solely to scalp hair, while body hair includes all other types (such as facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The key stages in the laboratory processing of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning refers to the preliminary handling of a sample within a laboratory's framework. This stage ensures that the sample is properly sealed and transported, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any ancillary data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening entails an initial assessment for drugs of abuse. While Screening offers a cost-effective method for excluding drug use in the majority of samples, confirmation is required for any positive screen to be legally applicable. Samples with presumptive positives in Screening necessitate subsequent confirmation.
Should a sample indicate a presumptive positive during Screening, additional hair is taken from the initial sample for the Extraction phase. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly reduced concentrations compared to other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening one of the most complex methodologies.
GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS technologies are used to verify any positive Screening outcomes. Prior to confirmation, all presumptive positive samples undergo washing as necessary. Throughout the laboratory process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards are adhered to.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Despite being commonly called "hair follicle tests", the testing focuses on the hair strand itself rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.
Why Hair Follicle Testing Surpasses Urine Testing in Menchalville, WI
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