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Toxicology

The toxicology department provides a 24/7/365 testing menu of services to physician’s offices, treatment centers, and other hospitals throughout Maine and Vermont. Drug testing is a valuable tool to determine which drug, or combination of drugs, a person may have ingested. These results not only aid the emergency room physician in making a diagnosis but can also aid the healthcare provider monitoring compliance in drug rehabilitation programs or pain management clinics.

Our laboratory uses the latest technology for drug testing, including Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LCMSMS). We are the only lab in the state of Maine performing in-house drug confirmation testing by LCMSMS for diagnostic and treatment purposes. Dayshift toxicology specialists and laboratory pathologists are available for interpreting test results, recommending specimen collection times, and for general consultation. Our quality assurance program includes participation in proficiency testing surveys.

Toxicology Services

Our toxicology services include:

  • Qualitative screens for ‘drugs of abuse’ and ‘therapeutic drug monitoring’ 24 hours a day, seven days a week for emergency rooms, physician offices, and clinics

  • Rapid urine screening test option for immediate turnaround times for Amphetamines, Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines, Cocaine metabolite, Marijuana (cannabinoids), EDDP (Methadone Metabolite), Opiates, Buprenorphine, Fentanyl and Oxycodone performed by immunoassay

  • Urine confirmation tests, including Benzodiazepines (such as Valium, Xanax, and Klonopin) (Directory), Opiates (such as oxycodone and heroin (6-MAM) (Directory), and Methylphenidate (Ritalin) (Directory) performed by Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LCMSMS)

  • Serum ethanol testing (Directory) by gas chromatography, with additional tests available for acetone (Directory), isopropanol (Directory), and methanol (Directory)

  • Comprehensive therapeutic drug monitoring for patients on medication

  • Immunosuppressant (such as Tacrolimus (Directory) and Cyclosporine A (Directory)) drug monitoring for organ transplant patients by LCMSMS

  • Clozapine ‘therapeutic drug monitoring’ performed by LCMSMS technology

  • More comprehensive urine screening tests for drugs of abuse and/or prescription drugs, including Amphetamine, Benzodiazepines, Cocaine metabolite, Marijuana, Methadone, Opiates, Oxycodone, Tramadol, Venlafaxine or over 30 other substances performed by immunoassay and/or gas chromatography mass spectrometry. **

** Testing will be limited to EMMC emergency department and in-patients only

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Contact Toxicology at 207-973-6955