Mass Spectrometry Test for Sports Doping

Researchers at the University of Utah's (Salt Lake City) Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory developed a test for testosterone and epitestosterone in urine that uses liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection (LC-MS-MS). The test is designed to detect whether an athlete has used testosterone-boosting drugs. The analysis compares the ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone, which normally are present in approximately equal amounts. The new test provides 1-ng/mL sensitivity and enables analysts to determine the ratio with greater confidence.