Specimen Requirements

Specimen must arrive as soon as possible after collection. Specimen must arrive by 2000 on Friday and 1 day before a holiday.

Forms: Flow Cytometry Immunophenotyping Request and a Barnes-Jewish Hospital Request Form in Special Instructions.

Specimen Type: Bone marrow

Container/Tube: Dark-green top (sodium heparin)

Specimen Volume: 2-4 mL

Additional Information:

1. Collection date is required.

2. A pathology/diagnostic report, the name and telephone number of the ordering physician, and a brief history are essential to achieve a consultation fully relevant to the ordering physician’s needs.

3. Specimen cannot be frozen.

4. Label specimen appropriately (bone marrow).

Specimen Type: CSF

Container/Tube: Sterile container

Specimen Volume: Volume of fluid necessary to phenotype depends on the cell count of the specimen

Additional Information:

1. Collection date is required.

2. A pathology/diagnostic report, the name and telephone number of the ordering physician, and a brief history are essential to achieve a consultation fully relevant to the ordering physician’s needs.

3. Specimen cannot be frozen.

4. Label specimen appropriately (CSF).

Specimen Type: Fluid, miscellaneous

Container/Tube: Sterile container

Specimen Volume: 10-20 mL

Additional Information:

1. Collection date is required.

2. A pathology/diagnostic report, the name and telephone number of the ordering physician, and a brief history are essential to achieve a consultation fully relevant to the ordering physician’s needs.

3. Specimen cannot be frozen.

4. Label specimen appropriately (fluid).

Specimen Type: Lymph node

Container/Tube: Screw-capped container with RPMI

Specimen Volume: 1 cm³ biopsy

Additional Information:

1. Collection date is required.

2. A pathology/diagnostic report, the name and telephone number of the ordering physician, and a brief history are essential to achieve a consultation fully relevant to the ordering physician’s needs.

3. Specimen cannot be frozen.

4. Label specimen appropriately (lymph node).

Specimen Type: Whole blood

Container/Tube: 2 dark-green top (sodium heparin) tubes and 1 lavender top (EDTA) tube

Specimen Volume: 5 mL of sodium heparin whole blood in each tube and 2 mL of EDTA whole blood

Collection Instructions: Do not transfer blood to other containers.

Additional Information:

1. Collection date is required.

2. A pathology/diagnostic report, the name and telephone number of the ordering physician, and a brief history are essential to achieve a consultation fully relevant to the ordering physician’s needs.

3. Specimen cannot be frozen.

4. Label specimen appropriately (blood).