Specimen Requirements

Aspirate and/or Core Biopsy

1. Collect 2 mL to 3 mL of bone marrow in a heparinized syringe.

2. Prepare smears at patient’s bedside and allow to air dry.

3. Core biopsy is fixed in 10% buffered formalin. After the clot has formed, the clot is placed into formalin.

4. If clot arriving in a syringe, needle must be removed prior to transportation to Laboratory.

5. A formalin hazard sticker must be attached to container with formalin.

6. Label core biopsy, smear, and syringe with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

7. Deliver smears and clot in syringe, along with core biopsy to the Hematology Laboratory.

Note:  1. The following specimens will be returned to the submitting physician:

A. Spilled specimen

B. No requisition

C. Name on requisition does not match name on specimen

D. Unlabeled specimen

E. Broken slide that cannot be reconstructed

2. Please complete and submit an “Anatomic Pathology Request Form” stock form # 320-1415.

3. Place specimen in a plastic specimen bag with request form inserted into pocket separate from specimen.

Bone Marrow for Special Studies (Chromosome Analysis or Flow Cytometry)

Specimen must arrive in the Specimen Processing Laboratory by 2 p.m.

Specimens submitted for special studies (chromosome analysis or flow cytometry) will be referred to Mayo Medical Laboratories. See #8506 “Chromosome Analysis, Hematologic Disorders, Bone Marrow” or #3287 “Leukemia/Lymphoma Immunophenotyping by Flow Cytometry.”