Drug Screen (Urine)

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Auckland Te Toka Tumai

Test Guide

Drug Screen (Urine)

Testing Laboratory

Auckland Te Toka Tumai | Auckland Hospital

Department

Chemical Pathology

Delphic Registration Code (Alpha Code)

TST6

Test Code (Numeric Code)

3076

Laboratory Handling

Laboratory

LabPLUS Toxicology

Sample Stability

Stable up to two weeks at 2-8°C

Associated Tests

Ethanol (Urine)

Synonyms

Urine Drug Screen, UDS, Tox screen, Toxicology screen, Narcotic Screen, Etomidate, Methadone, Methadone metabolite, Synthetic cannabinoids, Buprenorphine, Ketamine, Zopiclone, Amphetamines, amphetamine-like substances, Methamphetamine, Barbiturates, Opiates, Morphine, Benzodiazepines, Cannabis, Cannabinoids, Cocaine, Cocaine metabolites, Oxycodone, Oxycontin, Pethidine, Phencyclidine, PCP, Propoxyphene, Dextropropoxyphene, Tramadol, Methylphenidate, Cotinine, Phenothiazine, QTOF.

Turnaround Time

1 day

Weekends and after-hours requests will need pathologist approval (except for emergency departments)

Specimen Type

Urine

Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred

Specimen Container

Acceptable

BD Urine Tube (no additive)

Minimum Sample Volume (ml)

Paediatric Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred

Specimen Container

Acceptable

BD Urine Tube (no additive)

Minimum Sample Volume (ml)

Additional Specimen Information

Place all non-urgent urine samples in the TOX tray located in Specimen Reception.

Urgent samples - (From AED/CED)

During normal working hours, hand deliver all urgent samples to a member of staff in the Toxicology laboratory.

Outside of normal working hours, give the sample to an automation staff member.

Any queries please contact the Section Leader/Technical Specialist SCP- Chromatography

Diagnostic Use

Note: The first line urine drug screen (UDS) does not detect all drugs. If there is a specific drug of interest, please specify on the request form under ‘clinical details’.

This drug screening is performed for clinical management (e.g. following drug overdose or abuse, poisoning, or for detoxification purposes) and therefore does not require proof of patient identity or a secure specimen chain of custody procedure, but the test results cannot be used later for legal/evidential purposes.

A urine drug screen includes the following groups of drugs (although each may be requested separately):

Amphetamines and related drugs
Opiates (note tramadol is not detected by this initial screen)
Benzodiazepines
Cannabis
Cocaine
Oxycodone

The tests listed above can be performed after hours and on weekends for urgent samples (AED/CED), or if approved by the on-call Chemical Pathologist.

In addition, during normal working hours (8am to 4pm, Mon-Fri), a Gas Chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS) screen and/or a Liquid Chromatography – time of flight (LC-QTOF) screen will be performed. GC-MS and LC-QTOF are capable of detecting a wide range of drugs, including GHB (gamma hydroxy butyrate). For samples received outside of normal working hours, the GC-MS or LC-QTOF screen will be performed on the next working day. These procedures are not normally available outside of normal working hours, but may be approved in exceptional circumstances, after discussion with the on-call chemical pathologist or Toxicology scientist.

The following are not part of the standard drug screen but are available and need to be requested specifically:

Alcohol
Atropine
Buprenorphine
Etomidate
Ketamine (and its metabolite, norketamine)
Methadone metabolite
LSD
Pethidine
Phencyclidine (PCP)
Phenothiazine
Propoxyphene
Synthetic cannabinoids
Tramadol
Zopiclone

For more information, look up the above Constituent Tests in this Test Guide or Additional Information below.

Interpretation

Note that this test is qualitative, meaning that a substance is reported as either detected or not detected. It is not possible determine the concentration of the substance in most cases. A positive result suggests recent exposure to the substance however ‘recent’ can vary depending on the specific substance and other factors, e.g. cannabis may be undetectable 36hrs after a single exposure or detected up to 10 weeks of cessation from chronic exposure.

It is often possible to determine if a drug is detected in the urine due to exposure/consumption vs. urine spiking. This can be helpful for detecting when a prescribed medication (e.g. methadone) is being diverted.

Limitations / Interference

False positive results may occur on the initial immunoassay screen, however these results are checked against the more specific QTOF confirmatory screen.

Last updated: 27/08/2026

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #

Testing Laboratory

Department

Delphic Registration Code (Alpha Code)

Test Code (Numeric Code)

Laboratory Handling

Laboratory

Sample Stability

Associated Tests

Synonyms

Turnaround Time

Specimen Type

Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred

Acceptable

Minimum Sample Volume (ml)

Paediatric Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred

Acceptable

Minimum Sample Volume (ml)

Additional Specimen Information

Aliquot Instructions

Sample Type

Minimum Volume (ml)

Transport to Lab

Diagnostic Use

For more information, look up the above Constituent Tests in this Test Guide or Additional Information below.

Interpretation

Limitations / Interference

Resources

Contact Information

Enquiry Form

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Drug Screen (Urine)

Overview

Testing Laboratory

Department

Delphic Registration Code (Alpha Code)

Test Code (Numeric Code)

Laboratory Handling

Laboratory

Sample Stability

Associated Tests

Synonyms

Turnaround Time

Specimen

Specimen Type

Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred

Acceptable

Minimum Sample Volume (ml)

Paediatric Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred

Acceptable

Minimum Sample Volume (ml)

Additional Specimen Information

Referral

Aliquot Instructions

Sample Type

Minimum Volume (ml)

Transport to Lab

Clinical Information/Test Method

Diagnostic Use

For more information, look up the above Constituent Tests in this Test Guide or Additional Information below.

Interpretation

Limitations / Interference

Additional Information

Resources

Contact Information

Contact Information

Enquiry Form

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