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Lab Test

Gastrointestinal Tract Brush Specimens

Cytology, Non-Gyn Gastrointestinal Specimen, CYTOLOGY, MEDICAL FNA

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB6797

Department

Cytology

Instructions

For questions regarding specimen collection and transport, please contact the Cytology Laboratory.

  • Dearborn: 313-436-2369
  • Farmington Hills: 947-521-8249
  • Grosse Pointe: 313-473-1801
  • Royal Oak: 248-898-9035
  • Taylor: 313-295-5365
  • Trenton: 734-671-3868
  • Troy: 248-964-9050
  • Wayne: 734-467-4275
  • Outreach: 800-511-0488

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect: Endoscopic brush placed into a ThinPrep® CytoLyt Solution tube/vial (preferred) or a pre-filled bottle of isotonic saline. 

  • The brush must be covered in fluid.
  • Label the specimen container with an EPIC specimen label with the patient name, hospital number, source of specimen, and date of test.
  • In house cytology specimens should be ordered in EPIC order entry. In the “additional orders” field input “CYTOLOGY, MEDICAL NON-GYN” and fill in all appropriate fields. Label specimen container and requisition with EPIC specimen labels.
  • All Cytology specimens must be accompanied by a requisition and must include the patient name, hospital and visit number, date of birth, date of specimen collection, pertinent patient history, physician name and source of specimen. Place an EPIC specimen label on the requisition. 

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Specimens in a ThinPrep® CytoLyt Solution tube/vial (preferred), may be maintained at room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F) or refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F) prior to transport. Specimens in isotonic saline must be stored refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F) prior to transport. 

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: Endoscopic brush submersed in a ThinPrep® CytoLyt Solution tube/vial, in isotonic saline or refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F). 

Rejection Criteria

  • Improper labeling of specimen container or requisition.
  • Specimen not accompanied by requisition.
  • Requisitions not accompanied by a specimen.
  • Improper collection of specimen (such as improper fixation).
  • Specimens contaminated with a foreign material.
  • Frozen specimen.
  • Brush above the surface of fixative/solution, drying the specimen to the brush.
  • Any specimen received without all of the required information will result in a delay of processing until all information can be verified.
  • Specimens that leak outside of specimen container into transport bags. 

Inpatient Specimen Preparation

Grosse Pointe

  • Deliver the specimen directly to the Cytology Laboratory (first level) Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm.
  • Specimens are also picked up throughout the day from the surgical floors and Clinical Pathology, Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm.
  • When the Cytology Laboratory is closed, specimens must be delivered to the Clinical Pathology Specimen Processing area. 

Farmington Hills

  • Deliver the specimen directly to the Cytology Laboratory (2nd floor, East) Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 4:00 pm.
  • Specimens are also picked up throughout the day from the surgical floors and Endoscopy, Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm.
  • When the Cytology Laboratory is closed, specimens must be delivered to Laboratory Central Processing.

Royal Oak

  • Deliver specimen directly to the Cytology Laboratory (north tower, lower level, west wing) Monday – Friday, 6:30 am – 4:30 pm. 
  • Specimens are also picked up from the surgical floors, Endoscopy and Clinical Pathology Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 7:00 pm, Saturday, 7:00 am – 11:00 am. NT and Endoscopy ONLY. 
  • When the laboratory is closed specimens may be delivered to the Surgical Pathology Laboratory (located on the lower level near the east tower elevators), Clinical Pathology Specimen Receiving (located in the Beaumont Laboratory Research Building), or STAT lab. 

Troy

  • All specimens must be delivered to the Specimen Reception Department (tube station #201; phone number: 248-964-8030, or x38030)
  • Specimens are also routinely picked up throughout the day from the surgical floors and Endoscopy Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm. 

Dearborn

  • Deliver the specimen to the main lab drop off window and sign in. Open 24/7.
  • Deliver directly to Cytology, Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 4:30 pm. 
  • Deliver directly to Histology lab, Monday – Friday open 24 hours, Saturday 8:00 am – 12:00 pm, closed on Sunday.
  • Specimens are also picked up throughout the day from the surgical area and endoscopy. Monday – Friday, 6:00 am – 4:30 pm, Saturday 8:00 am – 12:00 pm.
  • When the Cytology lab is closed specimens must be delivered to the main lab window and signed in.

Taylor

  • Deliver to histology 8:00 am – 2:00 pm. 
  • After hours:  Deliver the specimen to the main lab. Open 24/7.

Trenton

  • Specimens are picked up from Emergency Dept., Interventional Radiology, and operating rooms from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm.
  • After hours deliver specimens to the main lab. Open 24/7.

Wayne

  • Specimens are picked up from Emergency Dept. and Interventional Radiology from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm.
  • After hours deliver specimen to the main lab. Open 24/7. 

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Specimens in ThinPrep® Cytolyt (Preferred)
Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 14 days
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 14 days
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): Unacceptable

Specimens in Isotonic Saline
Specimen must be refrigerated immediately upon procurement.
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 7 days
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): Unacceptable

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

Specimens in ThinPrep® PreservCyt / Cytolyt Vial
Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 14 days, 7 days at Dearborn

Specimen in Isotonic Saline
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 7 days 

Laboratory

Dearborn Cytology Laboratory

Taylor and Wayne specimens are sent to Dearborn Cytology Laboratory for preparation, screening and issuing final results. 

Trenton specimens are sent to Dearborn Cytology Laboratory for preparation and screening. Final results are issued by Trenton hospital.

Royal Oak Cytology Laboratory

Grosse Pointe and Farmington Hills specimens are sent to Royal Oak Cytology Laboratory for preparation and screening. Final results are issued by originating hospital.

Troy Cytology laboratory  

Performed

Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 4:30 pm (Royal Oak).
Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 3:30 pm (Farmington Hills).
Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 4:30 pm (Troy).
Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm (Grosse Pointe).
Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 4:30 pm (Dearborn).
Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 3:00 pm (Taylor).
Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 3:00 pm (Trenton).
Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 3:00 pm (Wayne).

Most results are available within 24-48 hours of receipt in the Cytology Laboratory if received Monday – Friday. The Cytology Laboratory is closed on weekends and holidays. Specimens received after 3:00 pm on Friday will be processed the following Monday and resulted on Tuesday. Specimens received after 3:00 pm the day before a holiday will be processed the next working day and resulted out the following day. 

Test Methodology

ThinPrep® Monolayer Preparation only, routine processing. 

CPT Codes

CPT: 88112 
LOINC: 33716-2 

Contacts

Last Updated

3/17/2021

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