Regional Medical Laboratory

Specimens submitted for cytological or pathological examination must be accompanied with a completed requisition form indicating the patient's name, date of birth, date and time of specimen collection, specimen source, submitting physician's name and pertinent clinical information such as LMP, hormones, and previous conditions and treatment. Specimens are accepted only from physicians or other persons authorized by law. These include physician's assistants or nurses under the supervision of a physician.

SPECIMEN HANDLING

Pathology Specimen Quick Reference Sheet

This file will provide an easy to view and printable AP Specimen Handling Reference sheet.

Tissue for Frozen Sections - STAT Delivery
Please Deliver tissue for frozen sections immediately to the gross room in the laboratory.
DO NOT USE FIXATIVE! - DO NOT FREEZE!

Kidney Biopsies
Can only be collected Monday - Thursday (Use sterile container with Phosphate Buffer or Saline)
STAT Courier to Tulsa within 2 hours of Collection!

Tissues for Flow Cytometry
RPMI Media - Store RPMI Media in refrigerator, if purplish-blue colors occurs, discard and get new container. Please call RML's Histology Laboratory at (918) 744-2500; (800) 722-8077 for media if needed.

Tissues for Culture
NO Fixative please deliver fresh.

Estrogen and Progesterone receptor assays
(by biochemical and immunoperoxidase methodologies) on various tissues as well as a complete Breast Cancer Prognostic Profile, which includes DNA ploidy studies, are available. Instructions for these tests or collecting and fixing tissue for other special studies such as electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, enzyme histochemistry, or DNA Ploidy studies (i.e. Flow Cytometry on either fresh or fixed tissue) can be obtained from the Histology Laboratory at (918) 744-2500; (800) 722-8077.

Urine and bladder washings
NO Fixative please deliver fresh.
Should be submitted in a specimen cup. An early morning urine is preferred. These specimens should be refrigerated if there is any delay in delivery to the laboratory. A 24 hour urine specimen is NOT recommended for cytology because of cell degeneration and bacterial growth. Specimens must be labeled with the patient's first and last name and accompanied by a completed requisition.  Specimens for ploidy studies (DNA Histogram) should be handled in a similar manner.

Cytospray fixative, conventional, and SurePath Prep supplies
May be obtained by contacting the Materials Management department of the laboratory. A small amount of aspirated fluid is to be expelled on a glass slide that is labeled with the patient's first and last name and smeared by placing a second slide over the specimen and spreading the slides apart to make a thin preparation. Fix the smears immediately by spraying with Cytospray fixative. Several slides can be prepared depending on the amount of aspirated material and according to the number of sticks performed. It is recommended that the slides are smeared and fixed after each stick. Any extra specimen may be sent to the laboratory in the syringe or in a specimen cup. If the syringe is sent, be sure to remove the needle and cap the syringe before sending it to the laboratory. Specimens may be rejected if the needle is still attached to the syringe. The specimens must be labeled with the patient's first and last name and accompanied by a completed requisition. The source of the aspirate should also be noted on the specimen. CytoRich Red Preservative is available upon request to add to any extra specimen after the smears are made.