CDU (Cadmium urine) Test

Your doctor will look for symptoms of cadmium poisoning and will also enquire about your daily habits to know if your symptoms are being brought about by exposure to cadmium. A CDU test may be ordered if you have had long-term exposure to cadmium and the doctor notices symptoms of kidney damage, osteoporosis or chronic obstructive lung disease such as:

• Shortness of breath
• Chest tightness
• Persistent cough
• Increased incidence of kidney stones
• Frequent urination
• Weakening of the bones

Babies may get exposed to cadmium if the mother has been exposed to cadmium for a prolonged period and traces of this metal are found in the breastmilk. 

You do not require any prior preparations before this test. However, your doctor is likely to ask you questions related to your health history to determine the probable cause of your symptoms. If you are taking any medicines, such as supplements or prescription drugs, then you must inform the doctor before the test.

It is also important to note that the sample must not be collected if you have been administered gadolinium- or iodine-containing contrast media in the recent past. In such a case, the urine sample should be taken 48 hours after the administering of the contrast media. 

It is a simple procedure that involves the collection of a urine sample - either random or 24- hour. 

• You will be provided with a container to collect the sample. More than one container would be provided if your doctor asks for a 24-hour urine test.
• For a 24 hour test, sample collection should begin in the morning. Excluding the first urine of the day, every urine must be collected for the next 24 hours.
• The urine container should be stored in a cool environment or it can be kept in a refrigerator.
• Make sure to label the container appropriately with your name, the date and time of collection of the sample. 
• After the sample has been collected, it should be taken to the laboratory for analysis. 

If the test is being performed on an infant, then the area around the urethral opening must be washed thoroughly and the urine collection bag must be placed appropriately on the infant to collect the urine without any spillage. The collected sample should be delivered to the laboratory for analysis as soon as the collection is completed.

Normal results:

The reference values for cadmium levels in the urine are:

• 0-17 years: not established
• 18 years and above: <0.6 mcg/24 hours (micrograms per 24 hours)

It is important to note that when a urine test is being done to test for cadmium toxicity, the presence of creatinine is taken to be proportional to the level of cadmium. In case long term cadmium exposure has caused kidney damage, the cadmium excretion in the urine becomes higher than urine creatinine levels. 

Abnormal results:

If the level of cadmium in the urine is found to be higher than the reference value, then the results are taken to be abnormal. The doctor will conduct further tests in order to determine the damage that has been caused to the organs and to evaluate the severity of the symptoms. Based on your results, the doctor will also provide a list of measures you can take to avoid further exposure to cadmium.

Disclaimer: All results must be clinically correlated with the patient’s complaints to make a complete and accurate diagnosis. The above information is provided from a purely educational point of view and is in no way a substitute for medical advice by a qualified doctor.