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Semiautomated laboratory analyzers designed to perform rapid qualitative immunology (e.g., using immunochromatography) tests to determine the presence of certain analytes that are considered drugs of abuse (e.g., barbiturates, amphetamines, oxycodone, propoxyphene) when the concentrations are above a pre-determined cutoff value in a urine sample. These analyzers may consist of a combination of a cassette with several wells for the urine samples and a filter photometer reader (i.e., a colorimeter); other technologies involving enzyme immunoassays and spectrophotometers may also be used. Typically the urine samples are placed in the cassette wells where the reagents are present, resulting in colors the intensity of which depends on the presence and concentration of each drug. The reader scans the cassette, processes the information using dedicated software, and displays and/or prints the results as positive or negative for each of the substances in a few minutes. Toxicology screening urine analyzers provide only preliminary results that should be confirmed using more specific analytical tests (e.g., high-performance liquid chromatography); they are not intended for use as point-of-care analyzers.
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