title: Opiate screening and quantitation in urine/blood matrices using LC-MS/MS techniques.
abstract: Here we describe a high-volume urinary screening technique for opiate drugs as well as other narcotic analgesics. We also describe methods for quantification of the same drug species in serum, plasma, and whole blood. Screening and quantitation of these types of drugs have presented many challenges, among them the potentially low levels in both abuse and therapeutic situations. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), employing electrospray ionization (ESI), has been able to provide the sensitivity needed for the analysis of many drugs and metabolites. These techniques can be used in many different settings from clinical and forensic toxicology examinations to pharmacokinetic studies and, with appropriate considerations, be applied to different sample matrices. Sample preparation procedures range from simple "dilute and shoot" methods to more extensive solid-phase extraction techniques.
authors: Saskatchewan Disease Control Laboratory, Saskatchewan Health, Regina, SK, Canada. jeichhorst@health.gov.sk.ca
authors: Jeff C
authors: JC
authors: Eichhorst
authors: Michele L
authors: ML
authors: Etter
authors: Patricia L
authors: PL
authors: Hall
authors: Denis C
authors: DC
authors: Lehotay
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays; D006801:Humans; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid