Laboratory Testing Cutoffs & Methods
Comprehensive Drug Test - Urine Screening & Confirmation Methods
Overview
The following is an explanation of RTL's urine screening and confirmation procedures/cutoff levels. The routine cutoff levels listed below may periodically change. The analytical methods used by RTL are scientifically accepted and approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Comprehensive Panel Screen
The following list provides screening detail for the Comprehensive Drug Test panel. RTL screens urine specimens by enzyme assay (EA), enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Presumptive positive specimens will be confirmed by a second method (GC/MS) prior to reporting positive results.
Screening Cutoff Levels By Procedure
| Drug | Method | Cutoff |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol (Ethanol) | EA | 0.04 g/dL |
| Amphetamines - Amphetamines - Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) - Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) - Methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA) |
GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS |
1000 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL |
| Anticonvulsants - Carbamazepine Metabolite - Oxcarbazepine Metabolite |
GC/MS GC/MS |
100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL |
| Antidepressants - Amitriptyline/Nortriptyline - Bupropion Metabolite - Citalopram/Escitalopram - Desipramine/Imipramine - Doxepin - Fluoxetine Metabolite - Maprotiline - Paroxetine - Sertraline Metabolite - Trazodone/Nefazodone Metabolite - Venlafaxine Metabolite |
GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS |
100 ng/mL 250 ng/mL 150 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 150 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 150 ng/mL 150 ng/mL Qualitative 200 ng/mL |
| Barbiturates | EIA | 200 ng/mL |
| Benzodiazepines - Alprazolam Metabolite - Clonazepam Metabolite - Flunitrazepam Metabolite - Flurazepam Metabolite - Lorazepam - Midazolam Metabolite - Nordiazepam - Oxazepam - Temazepam - Triazolam Metabolite |
GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS |
50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL |
| Cocaine | EIA | 300 ng/mL |
| Methylphenidate | GC/MS | 50 ng/mL |
| Narcotics/Opiates - Buprenorphine - Butorphanol Metabolite - Codeine - Fentanyl - Hydrocodone - Hydromorphone - Ketamine Metabolite - Meperidine Metabolite - Methadone - Morphine - Nalbuphine - Oxycodone - Pentazocine - Propoxyphene - Tramadol Metabolite |
GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS EIA GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS EIA GC/MS |
1 ng/mL Qualitative 100 ng/mL 10 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 300 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 150 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 300 ng/mL 200 ng/mL |
| Phencyclidine (PCP) | EIA | 25 ng/mL |
| Sedative/Hypnotic Agents - Carisoprodol/Meprobamate - Zolpidem Metabolite |
GC/MS GC/MS |
200 ng/mL Qualitative |
| THC (Marijuana) | EIA | 50 ng/mL |
Confirmation Cutoff Levels By Procedure
The following list provides confirmation detail for the Comprehensive Drug Test panel. RTL confirms urine specimens by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The analytical methods used by RTL are scientifically accepted.
| Drug | Method | Cutoff |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol (Ethanol) | GC-FID | 0.02 g/dL |
| Amphetamines - Amphetamine - Methamphetamine - Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) - Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) - Methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA) |
GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS |
100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL |
| Anticonvulsants - Carbamazepine - 10,11-Dihydroxycarbazepine - Oxcarbazepine - 10-Hydroxycarbazepine - 10,11-Dihydroxycarbazepine |
GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS |
100 ng/mL Qualitative 100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL Qualitative |
| Antidepressants - Amitriptyline - Nortriptyline - Hydroxynortriptyline - Hydroxybupropion - Citalopram/Escitalopram - Desipramine - Imipramine - Hydroxydesipramine - Hydroxy-desmethyldesipramine - Doxepin - Desmethyldoxepin - Fluoxetine - Norfluoxetine - Maprotiline - Paroxetine - Sertraline - Norsertraline - mCPP - Hydroxy-mCPP - Trazodone - Hydroxytrazodone - Venlafaxine - O-Desmethylvenlafaxine |
GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS |
100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL Qualitative 250 ng/mL 150 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL Qualitative Qualitative 100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 150 ng/mL 150 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 150 ng/mL 150 ng/mL 150 ng/mL 100 ng/mL Qualitative Qualitative Qualitative 100 ng/mL Qualitative |
| Barbiturates - Amobarbital - Butabarbital - Butalbital - Pentobarbital - Phenobarbital - Secobarbital |
GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS |
200 ng/mL 200 ng/mL 200 ng/mL 200 ng/mL 200 ng/mL 200 ng/mL |
| Benzodiazepines - alpha-Hydroxyalprazolam (Alprazolam) - 7-Aminoclonazepam (Clonazepam) - 7-Aminoflunitrazepam (Flunitrazepam) - 2-Hydroxyethyl flurazepam (Flurazepam) - Lorazepam - alpha-Hydroxymidazolam (Midazolam) - Nordiazepam - Oxazepam - Temazepam - alpha-Hydroxytriazolam (Triazolam) |
GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS |
50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL 50 ng/mL |
| Cocaine | GC/MS | 50 ng/mL |
| Methylphenidate | GC/MS | 50 ng/mL |
| Narcotics/Opiates - Buprenorphine - Norbuprenorphine - Butorphanol - Hydroxybutorphanol - Codeine - Fentanyl - Hydrocodone - Hydromorphone - Ketamine - Norketamine - Dehydronorketamine - Normeperidine - Methadone - Methadone Metabolite (EDDP) - Morphine - Nalbuphine - Oxycodone - Pentazocine - Propoxyphene - Norpropoxyphene - Tramadol - O-Desmethyl-cis-Tramadol |
GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS |
0.5 ng/mL 2 ng/mL 5 ng/mL Qualitative 100 ng/mL 5 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 5 ng/mL 5 ng/mL 25 ng/mL 25 ng/mL 25 ng/ml 50 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 250 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 250 ng/mL 300 ng/mL 300 ng/mL 100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL |
| Phencyclidine (PCP) | GC/MS | 5 ng/mL |
| Sedative/Hypnotic Agents - Carisoprodol - Meprobamate - Hydroxyzolpidem |
GC/MS GC/MS GC/MS |
100 ng/mL 200 ng/mL Qualitative |
| THC (Marijuana) - THC-COOH (Marijuana) - THC-COOH/Creatinine Ratio |
GC/MS Calculation |
5 ng/mL |
Adulteration Examination
RTL's Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's) require that each urine specimen be examined for signs of adulteration. This examination includes the following:
Physical Examination: Color, excessive foaming, excess sediments, or unusual odor are noted. If adulteration is suspected, this is noted on the final report.
Analytical Examination: Upon request, pH, creatinine (tested by default) and specific gravity are run to aid in determining possible adulteration.
