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Specimen Information

Specimen Collection and Transport

Collection:

  • Fresh tissue – Sterile vial containing phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution (to keep it from drying up). Specimens should be refrigerated immediately at 2-8۫ C. Transport on wet ice.
  • Frozen Tissue – Place in sterile vile and keep at -80۫ C. Transport using dry ice.
  • Paraffin Blocks – Can send entire block or facility can shave off several section (less than or equal 25 mg in a 2.0 ml microcentrifuge tube). Transport at room temperature.

Transport:

  • Vials/tubes must be labeled with patient information and specimen source
  • Must be placed into a sealed plastic bag displaying the biohazard symbol
  • Requisition forms should be placed in the outer pocket of the transport bag to avoid contamination of the form in the event of specimen leakage.
  • Requisition must be completed in full

Specimen Labeling

  • Patients full name (first and last)
  • Patients social security number and/or Date of Birth
  • Date and time of collection
  • Specimen type and source

** Specimens can be either delivered to room 17806 or can be called to be picked up if within the hospital or New College building (215-762-4667). Please ensure that the above has been completed for either method of delivery. Thank you.

Criteria for Rejecting Specimens

  1. Rejection of specimens is strongly recommended if either the specimen or requisition form lacks sufficient information for the laboratory or clinician to uniquely identify the specimen.
  2. Lacks other information necessary to determine if the specimen or test requested is likely to be unsuited to answer clinical questions.
  3. Grounds on improper handling or transportation of the specimen.
  4. Submission of an inappropriate specimen.
  5. Under certain conditions, use of non-optimal specimens is justified on clinical grounds.
    • As with other clinical laboratory procedures, the ultimate criterion on which to determine whether to perform a gene rearrangement assay must be based on the best interest of the individual patient.

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