Post Mortem Screening

General Information

Post Mortem toxicological analysis is requested  in order to investigate the potential exposure to drugs which may have contributed towards the death of an individual.

Typically, four samples are required:

1 x 20 mL       Blood (Unpreserved)

1 x 5 mL         Blood (Preserved e.g. flouride oxalate)

1 x 20 mL       Urine (Unpreserved)

1 x 5 mL         Urine ((Preserved e.g. flouride oxalate)

This allows the laboratory to screen for exposure to the majority of drugs (both prescribed and illict) and quantify any detected which may have contributed to the cause of death. Preserved samples allow alcohol concentrations to be reliably measured in blood and urine. The above is the ideal, cases will be processed even if not all four samples are present.

In cases where blood and urine cannot be collected (e.g. deaths involving severe trauma e.g. collision with fast moving vehicle) tissues such as muscle or liver may be examined.