• Place body fluid in a Falcon vial/tube - 15mL
  • Do not add anticoagulant or holding media
  • The volume required is dependent upon the white blood cell (WBC) count. Smaller volumes are sufficient if the cell count is high
• Include representative slides (will be returned)

Falcon vial/tube - 15mL

Bone marrow

• Collect 3 mL (minimum 1.0 mL) in a sodium heparinized (Na hep) syringe
  • Specimens collected in EDTA are acceptable, but not preferred
• Transfer to an anticoagulant free sterile tube
• FI unable to collect a bone marrow aspirate, a bone marrow core placed in RPMI with Hepes, Pen Strep and FBS is acceptable

Spinal fluid

• Collect 5 mL (minimum 1.0 mL) in a sterile vial/container.
  • Do NOT add any anticoagulant or holding media
  • The volume required is dependent upon the white blood cell (WBC) count. Smaller volumes are sufficient if the cell count is high

Tissue

• Immediately following collection, place the fine needle aspirate (FNA) or tissue in RPMI with Hepes/Pen strep/FBS -15 mL

Bone marrow

Bone marrow transport vial/tube

Spinal fluid

Sterile vial/container

Tissue

RPMI with Hepes/Pen strep/FBS -15 mL

Complete the "Brief clinical information" and "What do you want answered by Flow?" areas on the request form

Body fluid

Refrigerated

Bone marrow

Ambient

Spinal fluid

Refrigerated

Tissue

Refrigerated

• Improper label (unlabeled or mislabeled)
• Wrong container (anticoagulant or solution)
• Delay in transport
• Improper storage
• Interfering substances
• Leaking container

Flow Cytometry

Flow cytometry may be requested as part of any surgical or cytology case by manually indicating “Please perform flow cytometry” in the comment field of the AP order

Flow cytometry panel CD's