Process Overview

• For stat requests from the Lincoln hospitals, the hospital lab will prepare one WG stained peripheral smear. The pathologist will review the peripheral smear at the hospital and call the result to the ordering physician. If the smear is negative, the ordering physician should be informed that the result is from a thin smear only and that a thick smear preparation will also be evaluated and reported the next business day. A final report will be issued after examination of the thick smears.
• For the purposes of preparing thick smears, a separate lavender top tube (EDTA) of blood will be sent to PMS. Three thick smears and three thin smears will be prepared at PMS according to procedure. One unfixed thick smear will then be stained. The other slides will serve as a backup in case of an error staining the first slide or to send the slides to Mayo for speciation. The thin smear will be stained according to the procedure utilized for routine peripheral blood smear evaluation. The stained slides will be turned out to a hematopathologist for review the next business day, at the discretion of the pathologist on call.
• For non-stat requests, an EDTA tube of blood will be sent to PMS for routine preparation of thin and thick smears and turned out to a hematopathologist as a routine peripheral smear consult. If the slides and tube of blood are received before 2:00pm, the smears will be turned out to a hematopathologist for review the same day. If they are received after 2:00pm, the smears will be turned out to a hematopathologist for review the next business day.
• If an EDTA tube of blood is not available and only peripheral smears are provided (this might be the case for cases originating at hospitals outside of Lincoln), the case will be handled like any peripheral smear.

Specimen Requirements

Submit three unstained peripheral blood smear slides. Stained slides are acceptable, but not preferable. Submit a tube of Peripheral blood or potassium EDTA anticoagulated blood (1 to 2 EDTA/1ml blood may be used)

Additional Information      

Include a copy of the CBC results with the blood smear slides. Smears must be made within 24 hours of blood collection.