Specimen Requirements

Body Fluid: 

Submit body fluid in a clean container or syringe.

Note:  Gastric resting contents should not be included in the specimen submitted for gastric washing analysis.  

Bronchial Brushing:

Submit bronchial brushing in a clean saline-filled container.

Bronchial Washing:

Submit bronchial washing in a clean container or syringe.

Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA):

Collect specimen from any body site by aspiration with a fine needle. Submit specimen in a capped syringe with needle removed. Smears should be immediately fixed in 95% ethanol or sprayed with commercially available fixative. Volumes of fluid (eg, blood) should be avoided.

Sputum:  Specimen must arrive within 24 hours of collection.

Instruct patient to collect fresh, single early-morning specimen in a clean, sterile container by inhaling air to the full capacity of the lungs and exhaling the air with an expulsive cough. It is helpful for the patient to be seated with head forward and slightly lowered.

Urine:  

Submit >1 mL of urine in a clean container. If no cultures are ordered off this specimen please add one pump of cytolyte to the specimen. If cultures are ordered please do not add preservative unless you split the specimen first.

Note:  Urine from a 24 hour specimen or pooled samples are not acceptable and will be rejected
 

Specimen Labeling Requirements:

1. Two patient identifiers (legal name first/last & date of birth)
2. Collection date/time
3. Specimen source 

Note:  Indicate urine collection method on request form as voided, catheter, cystoscopy, etc. If more than 1 urine method is used for multiple specimens, write the method of collection on each container submitted. 

Specimen Handling:

1. Send specimen refrigerated.  (Frozen specimen is not acceptable) 
2. Maintain sterility and forward promptly