Pathology Collection Guide
Quick Reference: Infectious diseases tests - blood / respiratory / enteric
Quick Reference: Infectious diseases tests - urine / genital / skin
Top 20 Pathology Collection Guides
The following guidelines provide information on the collection of specimens for selected pathology tests, focusing on those requiring special collection conditions or frequently have sub-optimal specimens submitted.
For specimen collection information of these tests, click on the test name, or read 'additional information' where available.
- Homocysteine (HCY)
- Folate - Red Cell
- Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT)
- Glucose Tolerance Screening Test in Pregnancy (O'Sullivan's Test, Glucose Challenge Test, GCT)
- Gentamicin and Tobromycin
- Paracetamol
- 24 hour Urine
- Urine Albumin (Microalbuminuria, ACR)
- Faecal Occult Blood (Faecal Haemoglobin, FHB)
- HCG Quantitative (Human Chorionic Gonadatropin, Pregnancy test, beta HCG)
- Measles Virus PCR (Measles Virus Detection)
- Muscle biopsy collection
- Nerve biopsy collection
- Faeces - Viral detection
- Faeces - Culture for Pathogens
- Faeces - Parasites
- Faeces - Clostridium difficile toxin (C diff)
- Respiratory Virus (including Influenza A & B, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV))
- Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA)
- ThinPrep - Liquid based cytology and/or HPV, Chlamydia, Neisseria
Please call the IMVS switchboard on 08 8222 3000 for all specimen collection enquiries and assistance.
| Procedure | Specimens and Containers | Additional Information | ||||||||
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Homocysteine |
Dedicated blood in K-EDTA gel tube (purple top with yellow insert); fasting sample preferred. |
Whole blood must be collected and transported on ice. Blood in white top, Fluoride EDTA (grey top) or K-EDTA (purple top) also acceptable. |
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Folate - Red Cell |
Blood 4 mL in K-EDTA (purple top) and clotted blood 5 mL (white top). | RCPA guidelines | ||||||||
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Glucose Tolerance Test |
Bloods 2 x 2 mL in Fluoride EDTA (grey top). |
Collect fasting blood and another 2 hrs after 75g oral glucose load. By appointment. Any request for a GTT on a child should be referred to the Duty Medical Clinical Biochemist; ph 8222 3000. Biochemist requires weight of child. |
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Glucose Tolerance Screening Test in Pregnancy |
Blood 2.0 mL in Fluoride EDTA (grey top) 1 hr after 50 or 75g of glucose load. Fasting not required. |
Performed routinely at 26 to 28 weeks gestation. Elevated levels followed by a standard Glucose Tolerance Test. |
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Gentamicin and Tobromycin |
Clotted blood 5 mL (white top). |
Trough level is taken immediately prior to the next dose. Peak levels are taken 6-10 hrs after dose. |
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Paracetamol |
Blood 5 mL in Li Heparin (green top). |
Absorption is maximal at 4 hrs after the dose. Time of ingestion should be stated on the request form if known. |
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24 hour Urine |
Urine collection in a 24 hr container | Patient Brochure - 24 hr urine | ||||||||
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Urine Albumin |
Fasting early morning spot urine or timed overnight urine collection in a container with no preservative. |
Please note collection start and finishing times on the request form. |
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Faecal Occult Blood |
Faeces (walnut size); 2 consecutive bowel actions. Motions in separate containers. |
Patient Brochure - Faecal Occult Blood Keep cool or refrigerate. Immunological test only performed. If Chemical test required it must be requested specifically. |
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HCG Quantitative |
Clotted blood 5 mL (white top). | |||||||||
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Measles Virus PCR |
Nasopharyngeal aspirate, throat swab or conjunctival swab in viral transport swab or medium. | Please provide date of onset of symptoms. | ||||||||
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Faeces 5-10g (walnut size) or 5-10 mL (if fluid) in sterile container.
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Please use Faeces Collection Kit for Culture and Parasites, available from Consumer Products; phone 08 8222 3997. Faeces Collection Kit Instructions Collect as soon as possible after the onset of symptoms. State date of onset of symptoms. |
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Faeces - Culture for Pathogens |
Faeces 5-10g (walnut size) or 5-10 mL (if fluid) in sterile container. Maximum 1 specimen per week
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Please use Faeces Collection Kit for Culture and Parasites, available from Consumer Products; phone 08 8222 3997. |
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Faeces - Parasites |
Faeces 5-10g (walnut size) or 5-10 mL (if fluid) in sterile container. Maximum 2 specimens per week. Overseas travel should be stated. |
Please use Faeces Collection Kit for Culture and Parasites, available from Consumer Products; phone 08 8222 3997 |
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Faeces - Clostridium difficile toxin |
Faeces 5-10g (walnut size) or 5-10 mL (if fluid) in sterile container. Formed stool is not suitable.
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Please use Faeces Collection Kit for Culture and Parasites, available from Consumer Products; phone 08 8222 3997 |
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Respiratory Virus |
Viral swab from deep nasal, nasopharyngeal or throat. Nasopharyngeal aspirate in viral transport medium, sputum. | |||||||||
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Fine Needle Aspiration |
Aspiration smears. |
Patients with palpable lumps requiring investigation can be referred to selected IMVS laboratories for FNA to be performed. The procedure needs to be booked to enable a pathologist to be available to perform the aspiration. This service is available at the following laboratories; phone for bookings:
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ThinPrep - Liquid based cytology and/or HPV, Chlamydia, Neisseria |
PreservCyt sample vial available from IMVS |
Collection instructions are provided with vials. Forward to laboratory as soon as possible, otherwise store at room temp. Cells from the collection device used for preparing a conventional Pap smear can be collected by rinsing the device in a ThinPrep vial after preparing the Pap smear. This cell suspension can be used for ThinPrep cytology and/or HPV, Chlamydia or Neisseria testing. It is important to indicate on the request form which test or combination of tests is required. There is no Medicare rebate for ThinPrep cytology so there will be a charge to the patient for this test. HPV testing has special MBS rules that need to be satisfied to enable bulk billing to Medicare otherwise the patient is billed. Chlamydia and Neisseria are always bulk billed. MBS Rule for eligibility of HPV testing as 'Proof of Cure' A test for high risk human papillomaviruses (HPV) in a patient who:
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