Sterile container or tissue cassettes
Frozen - 3 months
For specimens arriving thawed, or at the incorrect temperature, the client will be notified to inquire if the specimen should be rejected or run with a disclaimer.
Enzyme assay
The enzymes collectively known as the mucosal disaccharidases (lactase, maltase, palatinase, and sucrase) are present in normal small intestine and fetal colon. Depending on the disease state, different enzymes are affected. A decrease in the enzyme activity of these disaccharidases has been noted in colonic adenomas, adenocarcinomas and malabsorption. Decreased disaccharidase activity is a good indicator of mucosal injury, with the exception of lactase.