See Specimen Submission Instructions for test requisition, specimen labeling and specimen packaging requirements.

Specimen Instructions

1. Prepare direct smears by placing 1-2 drops of aspirated material onto a glass slide. Place a second slide on top of the aspirated material; allow material to spread and using a horizontal motion pull the slides apart. See illustration below.
2. Immediately fix one slide with spray fixative. Allow the second slide to air dry. Label each slide “FIXED” for the fixed slide and “AD” for the aired dried slide.
3. Rinse remaining aspirate into Cytolyt by drawing Cytolyt fluid into the syringe and rapidly expelling through the needle into the container. Repeat as needed to rinse all aspirated material form the needle and syringe.
4. Prepare a maximum of 2 slides and one Cytolyt rinse per site aspirated, (g. right thyroid). Rinse subsequent passes from the same body site directly into the same Cytolyt container.
5. Label containers and slides with:
6. Full patient name and one additional unique identifier
7. Body site of specimen
8. Fixation method for slide/s. See 2 above.
9. Transport at ambient temperature.