Specimen Basics
Breast Oncology Specimens
Urology Specimens
GYN Specimens
Miscellaneous Specimens
100
Soft tissue, bone, blood, body fluids, and foreign bodies.
What are specimens sent for pathology and microbiology?
100
Routine specimen, hand carried to pathology as soon as reasonable.
How do you send routine breast specimens?
100
Calculus, place in glass test tube without fluid, can be placed in specimen refrigerator.
What is a kidney stone specimen?
100
Curetting (on telfa) placed in standard specimen cup. Cup put in plastic bag then on ice immediately. Can be placed in refrigerator on ice.
What are EMC specimens?
100
What are standard specimen containers?
200
On the top of the specimen lid.
Where do you NEVER place a specimen label?
200
Sutures placed strategically on specimen to orient specimen.
What are suture markings?
200
Place biopsy on saline soaked telfa, telfa goes into plastic specimen container, can go in the refrigerator on ice.
What is a bladder biopsy?
200
Placed in this container, can go in refrigerator.
What are GYN washings?
200
Never placed in the refrigerator. 
What is a culture specimen?
300
Patient name, specimen description, pathology request, date and time.
How do you label a specimen?
300
Ordered as "frozen" section (specific request listed in specimen description), pink stat sticker placed on specimen container, pathology called to alert them of specimen arrival.
How do you send a breast specimen for gross margin check?
300
Biopsy, place in plastic specimen container with saline, send down to pathology on ice, fresh (not placed in refrigerator).
What is a testicular biopsy?
300
Biopsy taken from cervix, placed in standard specimen cup with saline, needs to be sent to pathology immediately (fresh).
What is a cone biopsy?
300
Placed into plastic specimen container with no fluid. can be placed in refrigerator. 
What are transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) specimens?
400
NEVER place in saline/fixative, results are communicated intraoperatively.
What is a frozen section?
400
Each specimen labeled with sequential number and radioactive count, radioactive sticker placed on specimen container.
What is a sentinel node specimen?
400
Brush tip will be cut off disposable and placed into plastic specimen container with saline, can be placed in refrigerator.
What is a ureteral brush biopsy?
400
Ordered within order entry, need to follow normal scanning procedures prior to sending to lab stat.
What is a PAP smear?
400
Will be cultured at the discretion of Attending Surgeon. Placed in a labeled sterile Nalgene bottle (kept in Tissue Room) and stored in Tissue Room freezer. Step by step instructions are in the policy and procedure
What are autogenic cranial bone flaps?
500
Go to policy page, found within the quick links under Laboratory and Point of Care.
How do you find the specimen policy?
500
Specimen is placed in plastic bag with patient label, caution needle and/or radioactive stickers placed as needed, stat sticker placed, specimen placed in second bag then in labeled hard plastic container with ice.
How do you send a specimen for mammogram prior to pathology?
500
Organ, placed in plastic specimen container with saline, sent to pathology fresh (not placed in refrigerator) even if routine.
What is a kidney specimen?
500
Ordered using CGFISH. Sent down (fresh) in suction container with NO additional fluids/solutions added.
What are GYN Chromosomal Studies?
500
Placed in non metal container (i.e. paper bag)
How are bullets sent to pathology?