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MCW Pathology & Laboratory Medicine - Clinical Chemistry/Toxicology

Clinical chemistry is generally concerned with the analysis of various markers in body fluids, mostly serum and plasma. Clinical chemistry is a crucial component in the early detection, treatment and management of human diseases and health disorders. The discipline uses a variety of techniques such as spectrophotometry, fluorometry, nephelometry, turbidimetry, electrochemistry, electrophoresis, chromatography, mass spectrometry, and immunoassay.

Our laboratory performs diagnostic tests such as cholesterol, lipids, lipoproteins, serum and fluid proteins, glucose and other carbohydrates, minerals, bone markers, cardiac markers, and tumor markers. We also perform tests to investigate the functions of thyroid, pituitary, adrenal, reproductive, pulmonary and renal systems, acid-base, water and electrolyte disorders, blood gases, pancreatic and intestinal functions, liver and biliary diseases, and nutritional deficiencies, therapy and monitoring. Clinical chemistry is front-and-center of diagnostics in patient care.

The clinical chemistry laboratory is a full-service routine laboratory serving Froedtert Hospital, Medical College of Wisconsin and other programs.

Clinical toxicology is a branch of clinical pathology that is concerned with the analysis of drugs, drug of abuse, heavy metals, volatiles, and other chemical agents in body fluids and tissues for the purpose of patient care. Such analyses are required for the diagnosis and management of acute drug overdose, a clinical emergency, and acute exposure to toxic chemicals such as cyanide and methanol.

The purpose and scope of testing, the nature of analyte, the clinical urgency, and the extent of documentation required dictate the technique used in the analysis. Some of the techniques used in clinical toxicology include gas chromatography, HPLC, UPLC, mass spectrometry, biochemical assays and immunoassays. Clinical toxicology is concerned with the harmful effects of chemical on living organisms.

Another specialized branch of toxicology is therapeutic drug monitoring, which is rational utilization of drug therapy for selected group of drugs with laboratory monitoring of drug concentrations based on clinical pharmacokinetic principles. Additional laboratory services include compliance monitoring and illicit drug testing. Toxicological laboratory provides essential services for diagnosis and management of patients in acute drug overdose, clinical emergency and therapeutic drug monitoring.

Clinical Chemistry/Toxicology Faculty