Patient should avoid consumption of avocado, bananas, eggplant, kiwi fruit, nuts (hickory nuts, pecans, walnuts), pineapple, plums, tomato products.and interfering drugs for a 72 hour period prior to and during collection.

24 hr urine collection container, no additive

1. Instruct the patient to void at 8 AM and discard the specimen.
2. Then collect all urine including the final specimen voided at the end of the 24-hour collection period (ie, 8 AM the next morning).
3. Screw the lid on securely.
4. Label container with patient's name, date, and time.

How to collect a 24 hr urine sample

1. Measure and record total urine volume
2. Include the total volume on the request form
3. Mix well
4. Transfer a 4 mL (minimum 1.0mL) aliquot to a Transfer vial/tube with cap - 12mL (LabCorp)

Transfer vial/tube with cap - 12mL (LabCorp)

Ambient (preferred) - 7 days

Refrigerated - 14 days

Frozen - 14 days

Freeze/thaw cycles - stable x3

pH <2

Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS)

0.0 - 14.9 mg/24 hours

Serotonin measurement is used in conjunction with urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and/or serum chromogranin A in the diagnosis of carcinoid syndrome.