Specimen Requirements

Preparation of Patient:

Who is self-collection appropriate for?

• HPV self- collections is intended for people who face barriers to clinical collected screening and is offered as an alternative when traditional methods don’t work.  

• Self-collected vaginal specimens are acceptable for primary HPV screening of asymptomatic average risk individuals. 

• Patient must be 25 – 65 years old

Specimen must be collected in a healthcare setting, testing is not available for at home collection.  Provide patient with a labeled Evalyn brush and the accompanying collection instructions.

Click for Collection Instructions

Container Type:

Patient: 

Evalyn Brush

MHC Laboratory:

ThinPrep® PreservCyt® Solution

Or

Aliquot Transfer Tube

Specimen Type:

Vaginal self-collection using Evalyn Brush into PreservCyt Solution

Specimen Volume:

2.0 mL minimum 1.0 mL

Specimen Handling/Transport:

Label Evalyn brush with patient’s legal name (last, first), patient’s date of birth, specimen source, and collection date/time.  Cap tightly and transport ambient room temperature or refrigerated 2 - 30°C to laboratory within 72 hours of collection.

MHC Laboratory Instructions:

1. Carefully uncap the ThinPrep® PreservCyt® Solution vial.
2. Remove the pink cap from the Evalyn Brush.  Press the pink plunger down until it clicks into place to expose the white brush.  (do not touch exposed end white brush)
3. Hold the vial with one hand then with other hand place the white brush into the vial so the bristles are fully immersed in the medium and the wings are past the opening of the vial. 
4. Holding the vial, vigorously plunge the brush, smashing the white brush against the bottom and interior wall of the vial 10 times to maximize sample release.
5. Remove the white brush carefully drawing the brush up along the inner wall of the via until thebrush is no longer submerged in the medium.  Hold the brush against the inner vial wall to drain fluid off the brush.
6. Re-cap the vial and tighten until the lines on the cap and vial meet or slightly overlap and store upright.  Discard the evalyn brush.
7. Label vial with patient’s legal name (last, first), patient’s date of birth, specimen source, and collection date/time.
8. Transport aliquot specimen ambient room temperature or refrigerated 2 - 30°C.

Aliquot for instrument processing:

1. Using a sterile pipette, aliquot 2 mL minimum 1 mL into aliquot transfer tube.  Cap tightly.
2. Label collection tube with patient’s legal name (last, first), patient’s date of birth, specimen source, and collection date/time.
3. Transport aliquot specimen ambient room temperature or refrigerated 2 - 30°C.

Specimen Stability/Storage:

Evalyn brush devices are stable ambient room temperature for up to 72 hours.  Specimens suspended in ThinPrep® PreservCyt® Solution may be stored at 2-30°C for up to 3 months after the date of collection.