Diagnostic toxicology
Overview of laboratory services
The harmful effects of substances on the body is the focus of this area. In most cases, there are no substances that are fundamentally toxic or non-toxic. Only the quantity of the substance can determine how toxic it is. Acute intoxication refers to a high level of exposure to a toxic substance within a short period of time. By contrast, chronic intoxication occurs after exposure to low doses over a long period of time. Chronic intoxication is often difficult to detect, since it has an insidious onset and usually only results in non-specific constellations of symptoms. There are various measurement methods available to exclude potential intoxication. These range from the analysis of chemical/toxic elements right up to the measurement of detoxification markers involved in the process of detoxification.
