Sterile syringe or

Sterile vial/container

When possible, vitreous specimens should be sent STAT to laboratory and kept refrigerated or on ice during transport.

Notify the cytology laboratory processing staff of the expected arrival by calling 612-863-4668.

Collect fluid aseptically and place in clean, dry sterile vial/container/syringe.

Cytology is staffed:

• Weekdays 6:00 AM-6:00 PM
• Weekends 8:30-10:00 AM
• Holidays On-Call 8:30 AM–3:00 PM
• Specimens arriving outside of these hours will be processed ASAP upon staff arrival the next soonest business day but may be considered sub optimal.

For optimum results, specimen should be processed within two hours of collection.

Sterile syringe or

Sterile vial/container

Non-GYN Cytology request

• Provide pertinent clinical history/previous malignancy
• Answer the “Rule out” question with Malignancy if specimen is for cytology only. Answer with “Malignancy” and “Fungal” if fungus/pneumocystis stain is requested in addition.

Refrigerated

• Unlabeled or mislabeled specimen
• Unlabeled slide in a labeled slide container
• Leaking specimen if label has been rendered unreadable
• Slide broken beyond repair

Microscopic examination

An interpretive report will be provided