Specimen Requirements and Transport

ADULTS: Draw 2 -10 ml of venous blood into a syringe containing 10 - 20 USP units of preservative-free sodium heparin per ml of blood. Mix gently and replace needle with an unused capped needle. Alternatively, obtain blood in a green-top vacutainer tube with heparin.

INFANTS: Draw 1 - 2 ml of venous blood into a heparinized syringe (10 - 20 USP units of preservative-free sodium heparin per ml of blood) or a small green-top vacutainer tube with heparin.

COMBINED FRAGILE X DNA TEST AND ROUTINE KARYOTYPE: Send 5 ml of venous blood in green-top vacutainer for Cytogenetics AND 8 ml in EDTA purple-top vacutainer for DNA test.

SCE or BREAKAGE: Provide normal control sample (same sex & age as patient preferred).

MALE INFERTILITY Y PCR AND ROUTINE KARYOTYPE: Send 5 ml of venous blood in green-top vacutainer AND 8 ml in EDTA purple-top vacutainer.

Draw 1 ml bone marrow into syringe containing 10 - 20 USP units preservative-free sodium heparin per ml of marrow. Send to lab in syringe or sterile empty (red-top) vacutainer tube.

BONE CORE BIOPSY: Transport in sterile vial with 3-5 ml transport medium.

Use only Becton-Dickinson syringes or sterile glass syringes. DO NOT USE Monoject syringes. Under sterile conditions, obtain 20 ml amniotic fluid for cytogenetic analysis. Transfer amniotic fluid immediately to Corning 16 X 125 mm sterile tissue culture tubes with screw caps (mfg. #25200) or to the brown tubes from a Baxter amniocentesis tray kit. It is preferable that a small syringe be used to withdraw the first few ml of fluid, which should either be discarded or used for alpha fetoprotein (AFP) studies. Provide instructions as to whether we should forward a portion of the fluid for AFP or other studies.

Please schedule procedure on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. Sample MUST be placed in fresh chorionic villi (CVS) medium made by us. CONTACT US to arrange to get our CVS medium before the day of the procedure.

SKIN BIOPSY: Clean skin with 70% alcohol, allow to air dry and rinse well with sterile distilled water. Obtain 2 - 4 mm² sample of skin (approximately 2 mm X 2 mm). Place in sterile vial(s) and completely cover with 1 - 3 ml of transport medium. Use separate vials if separate sites of biopsy and label accordingly. DO NOT PUT specimen in formaldehyde, alcohol or saline.

ABORTUS OR AUTOPSY MATERIAL (SPONTANEOUS ABORTION, FETUS, STILLBORN, PLACENTA, ETC.): Obtain sample under sterile conditions. Prepare fetal skin as for biopsy using 70% alcohol and collect 0.5 - 1.0 cm² full thickness sample using sterile instruments. Place tissue in sterile vial(s) with 1 -3 ml transport medium. When tissues are identifiable we request skin and chorionic villi. If fetus is macerated; chorionic villi, fascia lata, lung and kidney should be sampled. Use separate vials for separate tissues if known, i.e., fetus, membranes, decidua, etc., and label accordingly. If the abortus material is small and there is no identifiable fetus, send the whole uterine contents to the laboratory. Fetal tissue from saline-induced abortions cannot be used for cytogenetic analysis. Make sure specimen is shipped in transport media. DO NOT put specimen in formaldehyde, alcohol or saline. DO NOT SHIP ENTIRE FETUS. Refrigerate if not shipped immediately.

Obtain 40-100ml voided urine and transport immediately to Cytogenetics laboratory. Refrigerate and add a cytology preservative (for example: Cytoloyt, Cabowax, 50% alcohol) 1:1 (v:v) if not shipped immediately. Transport time should not exceed 24 hours. Specimen can be transported either refrigerated (3-8 °C) [preferred] or at room temperature.

Contact Dr. Paul Swanson at 206-598-0083 or Dr. Tom Norwood at 206-685-1569

Contact the Lab at 206-598-4488 for specimen requirements and pricing.

We can supply transport medium if you call us in advance. We use alpha MEM supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum, 0.02M HEPES buffer and antibiotics. Alternatively, Lactated Ringer's solution or viral transport medium are acceptable alternatives if shipping time will not exceed 24 hr. DO NOT USE normal saline, 5% dextrose, or tissue culture medium buffered with bicarbonate.

Please Print a request form via a pdf file or contact the lab at 206-598-4488 to have a requisition form faxed to you. The laboratory must be contacted before sending any specimen. For after hours/weekend shipments please contact the Cytogenetics faculty on call via the paging operator at (206) 598-6190. Tell the operator to page the "Cytogenetics faculty on call" to your phone.

Clearly label each container or syringe with patient name, date and time. If sample is solid tissue, include type of tissue and site of biopsy.

Keep samples at room temperature except autopsy and abortus material which should be refrigerated.

See Turn Around Times for Services.