PAML CYTOGENETICS SPECIMEN REQUIREMENTS
AMNIOTIC FLUID:
Optimal Specimen:15-20mL amniotic fluid unspun in two, sterile 15mL centrifuge tubes
(Corning, Falcon or equivalent). Discard first 3mL drawn. Do not split or aliquot specimen if other tests are ordered. If additional studies are required, additional volume of fluid maybe necessary and charges will be added. Label all tubes with patient name and mother’s DOB. Tightly secure the specimen lids to prevent leakage. Immediately transport at room temperatureto PAML Cytogenetics Laboratory.
Minimum Volume: 5mL
Alternative Specimen: Fluid from uterine saline infusion, cystic hygroma or fetal pleural fluid
(please specify source).
Unacceptable Conditions: Frozen, refrigerated or spun samples, samples in any kind of
fixative.
BONE MARROW ASPIRATEORBONE CORE:
Optimal Specimen: 2.0mL bone marrow aspirate in sterile bone marrow transport tube
warmed to 37°C (obtained from PAML Supply item #1731K). If specimen is a bone core, use sterile technique to transfer it to bone marrow transport tube as soon as possible. Store and transport at room temperature only.
Minimum Volume: 0.5mL
Alternative Specimen: Sodium heparin vacutainer tube (green top).
Unacceptable Conditions: Frozen, refrigerated, clotted or spun samples, samples placed in
anticoagulant other than sodium heparin or in fixative of any kind.
LEUKEMIC BLOOD:
Optimal Specimen: 5.0mL whole blood in sodium heparin vacutainer tube (green top).
Minimum Volume: 1.0mL
Alternative Specimen: Whole bloodin sterile tissue culture media containing sodium heparin.
Unacceptable Conditions: Frozen, refrigerated, clotted or spun samples, samples placed in
anticoagulant other than sodium heparin or in fixative of any kind.
MICROARRAY DNA ISOLATION:(BLOOD or BONE MARROW ASPIRATE)
Optimal Specimen: 3mL whole blood in EDTA vacutainer tube (lavender top) or 1mL bone
marrow aspirate in EDTA vacutainer tube (lavender top).
Minimum Volume: 1mL whole blood in EDTA vacutainer tube (lavender top) or 0.5mL bone
marrow aspirate in EDTA vacutainer tube (lavender top).
Alternative Specimen: 3mL whole blood or bone marrow aspirate in Sodium Citrate or ACD
vacutainer tube (blue top or yellow top).
Unacceptable Conditions: Heparin, serum/plasma, grossly hemolyzed specimens,
shared or aliquotted specimens, frozen specimens, leaky containers, specimen more than 5 days old and improperly labeled specimen.
PARAFFIN SECTIONSFORFISH ANALYSIS:
General Requirements: Formalin-fixed (FFPE) preferred. No decalcified specimens. If slides
are sent, they should be cut at the recommended thickness for the specimen type being analyzed (see recommendations below). An H&E stained section should accompany the unstained slides with the target area circled by a pathologist.
Tissue Section Thickness Requirements:
Her2/neu: Submit 3 slides cut at 4 microns.
Lymphomas: Submit 5 slides cut at 3 microns (lymph node, G.I. tissue, spleen,
or bone marrow aspirate). Do not send Bone-Core Biopsies.
Brain Tissue for Glioma: Submit 5 slides cut at 6-8 microns.
Tumor Tissue: Submit 5 slides cut at 4 microns.
PERIPHERAL BLOOD:(NEWBORN, ROUTINE, MOSAIC or HIGH RESOLUTION)
Optimal Specimen: 5mLperipheral blood in sodium heparin vacutainer tube (green top).
Store and transport at room temperature only.
Minimum Volume: 2mL (1mL for newbornsup to 14 days of age).
Alternative Specimen: Whole blood in sterile bone marrow transport tube warmed to 37°C
(obtained from PAML Supply item #1731K). Percutaneous Umbilical Blood Sample (PUBS) and Cord Blood in sodium heparin vacutainer tube (green top tube). Heel Stick specimens in sodium heparin or in sterile bone barrow transport tube. Store and transport at room temperature only.
Unacceptable Conditions: Frozen, refrigerated, clotted or spun samples, samples placed in
anticoagulant other than sodium heparin or in fixative of any kind.
SOLID TISSUE:
These samples must be sent fresh, without any formalin or fixative exposure.
Tissues should never be frozen or placed on ice. To prevent the sample from drying out before arrival sterile HBSS medium or sterile saline may need to be added.
Requirements forSpontaneous Abortion or Fetal Demise:
Optimal Specimen: 1-2mm3 of the fetal side of the placenta and fetal tissue. Fetal tissue parts
may include muscle, skin, chest wall cartilage (particularly if macerated), gonads, fingers, toes or internal organs. Placental tissue is recommended to accompany the fetal parts. Place each tissue in a separate tissue transport tube containing sterile tissue transport media warmed to 37°C (obtained from PAML Supply item #1732K). Please include the approximate fetal gestational age, date of collection, identification of fetal parts and fetal sex if known. Keep the sample at room temperature and send to PAML Cytogenetics Laboratory the same day that it is collected (no more than two days after it is collected).
Unacceptable Conditions: Frozen samples or samples in formalin or fixative of any kind.
Requirements forSkin or Other Tissues fromChildren or Adults:
Optimal Specimen: 1-2mm3 punch biopsy placed in sterile tissue transport media warmed
to 37°C (obtained from PAML Supply item #1732K).
Unacceptable Conditions: Frozen samples or samples in formalin or fixative of any kind.
SOLID TUMOR:
Optimal Specimen: Solid tumor tissue 5mm3 in sterile tissue transport media warmed to 37°C
(obtained from PAML Supply item #1732K).
Minimum Volume: 5mm3
Alternative Specimen: Solid tumor tissue 5mm3 in sterile RPMI media or sterile saline.
Unacceptable Conditions: Frozen or refrigerated samples, samples in non-sterile saline or in
any kind of fixative.