Summary & Overview
CPT 82108: Quantitative Aluminum Assay (Serum or Urine)
CPT code 82108 denotes a quantitative laboratory assay for aluminum, most often performed on serum or urine to monitor for toxic exposure. The measure is clinically important for patients on hemodialysis and for those receiving aluminum-containing medications or with suspected environmental or occupational exposure. Nationally, this test supports patient safety by detecting potentially neurotoxic or systemic accumulation of aluminum and guiding clinical monitoring.
Key payers included in typical coverage analyses are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers can expect an overview of clinical context and indications, typical sites of service and billing considerations, and a summary of payer coverage patterns where available. The publication highlights common clinical scenarios prompting the test (dialysis monitoring, medication-related risk, and toxicity screening) and outlines the operational setting for specimen collection and laboratory processing.
Data not available in the input for payer-specific reimbursement rates, associated taxonomies, and lists of ICD-10 diagnoses. The piece focuses on the clinical role and billing identity of CPT code 82108, practical site-of-service context, and the scope of payers addressed in national coverage discussions.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 82108 describes a laboratory quantitative measurement of aluminum in a clinical specimen. The test measures the concentration of aluminum, most commonly performed on serum or urine, to monitor for elevated levels that may indicate toxicity.
Service Type: Clinical laboratory test — quantitative element assay
Typical Site of Service: Clinical laboratory, hospital laboratory, or outpatient phlebotomy/collection site
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 58-year-old patient with end-stage renal disease receiving hemodialysis presents for routine laboratory monitoring. The nephrologist orders a quantitative serum aluminum measurement because the patient has a history of long-term dialysis and intermittent exposure to aluminum-containing phosphate binders. The clinical workflow: the provider places an order for 82108 in the electronic medical record and specifies the specimen type (serum or urine). A trained phlebotomist draws the sample under standard collection procedures and labels it with patient identifiers and collection time. The specimen is transported to the hospital or reference laboratory. A licensed clinical laboratory scientist or lab analyst performs the quantitative aluminum assay using validated methodology (e.g., atomic absorption spectrometry or ICP-MS). Results are reviewed by the performing laboratory, reported in the laboratory information system, and routed to the ordering nephrologist. Documented clinical relevance includes monitoring for aluminum toxicity (neurologic symptoms, bone disease, or anemia) in patients on dialysis or receiving aluminum-containing medications.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | When billing only the professional interpretation component, if applicable for tests requiring physician interpretation. |