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Cytopathology Specimen Collection

Please note the information provided is intended as a guideline. Turnaround time is measured from the time of receipt of the specimen at our laboratory to the time the tests result is made available to the client. As with all healthcare matters, the facts of a particular case may necessitate a turnaround time that is longer than stated.

1 

Thin Prep PAP

Specimen Requirements:

  • Submit specimen in PreservCyt

  • Room temperature is acceptable

Turn Around Time:​

  • Approximately 24-72 hours. This may vary based on HPV testing

Special Instructions:​

  • Please do not submit the collection device in the PreservCyt vial

2

High Risk HPV and HPV Genotyping

Specimen Requirements:

  • Submit specimen in PreservCyt

  • Room temperature is acceptable

Turn Around Time:​

  • Approximately 2-4 days

Special Instructions:​

  • Please do not submit the collection device in the PreservCyt vial

  • HPV testing is typically performed in conjunction with the Thin Prep PAP. We use the same vial for both tests

  • See ASVVP guidelines to determine when HPV testing is appropriate

3

Urine Cytology

Specimen Requirements:

  • Specimen can be submitted in Cytolyt (preferred) or fresh (acceptable)

  • Room temperature is acceptable

  • 50 mL is required for testing

Turn Around Time:​

  • Approximately 24-48 hours

4

Brushings

Specimen Requirements:

  • Submit tip of brush in CytoLyt

  • Room temperature is acceptable

Turn Around Time​

  • Approximately 12-24 hours

5

Body Fluids: Pleural, Peritoneal, Pericardial, etc

Specimen Requirements:

  • Submit specimen fresh

  • for most cases, at leat 100 mL is needed for proper testing

  • Room temperature is acceptable

Turn Around Time​

  • Approximately 12-24 hours

6

Cerebrospinal Fluid

Specimen Requirements:

  • Submit specimen fresh

  • Submit as much specimen as is available. 1-5 mL is standard

Turn Around Time​

  • Approximately 12-24 hours

Special Instructions:​

  • Fresh specimens are time sensitive. Cell viability is affected by delays in delivery

7

Fine Needle Aspiration

Specimen Requirements:

  • Submit both fixed and air-dried smears

  • Submit aspirate in CytoLyt

  • If Flow Cytometry is required, submit a portion of the aspirate in RPMI

  • Room temperature is acceptable

Turn Around Time​

  • Approximately 12-24 hours

Special Instructions:​

  • To schedule an intra-operative FNA consultation please contact Central Oregon Pathology Consultants

8

Flow Cytometry

Specimen Requirements:

  • Peripheral Blood: 3-10 mL in green (sodium heparin) or lavender (EDTA) top tube

  • Bone Marrow Aspirate: 2-3 mL in green (sodium heparin) or lavender (EDTA) top tube

  • Malignant Fluids: 50-100 mL in collection pouch, depending on cellularity

  • Fresh Tissue Biopsy: I TRANSPORT MEDIA (RPMI)

  • Fine Needle Aspirate: in TRANSPORT MEDIA (RPMI)

  • Specimen must be refrigerated

Turn Around Time​

  • Approximately 24-48 hours. TAT is variable as we do not perform this test in-house

Special Instructions:​

  • Because Flow Cytometry is time sensitive, it is best to contact Central Oregon Pathology directly to schedule a pickup

  • If you do not have RPMI, tissue may be submitted fresh (in saline) and we will place it in RPMI

9

FISH

Specimen Requirements:

  • Peripheral Blood: 5-10 mL in sodium heparin (green tube)

  • Bone Marrow Aspirate: 1-2 mL in sodium heparin (green tube)

  • Bone Marrow Core: In RPMI media, FFPE is NOT acceptable

  • Fresh Tissue Biopsy: In RPMI media

  • Malignant Fluid: 50-100 mL depending on cellularity

  • Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF): In sterile tube with equal volume of RPMI

Turn Around Time​

  • TAT is variable as we do  not perform this test in-house

Special Instructions:​

  • Because FISH is time sensitive, it is best to contact Central Oregon Pathology directly to schedule a pickup

  • If you do not have RPMI, specimen may be submitted fresh and we will place it in RPMI

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