Specimen Requirements

Specimen Type: Urine

Preferred: Clean catch voided

Acceptable: Catheterized or bladder washings

Container/Tube: Screw-capped container

Specimen Minimum Volume: 10 mL

Collection Instructions:  

1. Hydrate patient (give several glasses of water 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to collection).
2. Collect at least 75 mL from a catheterized or voided urine (preferably not first-morning voided specimen) or bladder washings obtained at time of cystoscopy in container.
3. Add an equal amount of 50% ethanol or reagent alcohol to fix specimen.  If no preservative is used, keep specimen refrigerated.
4. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, source and site of specimen, physician’s name, and hospital identification number (if applicable).
5. Place specimen in plastic specimen bag with request form inserted into pocket separate from specimen, and, if possible, deliver specimen to Cytology Laboratory.

Forms: Cytology Test Requisition (see Forms-Requisitions in left column)

Include patient’s name (first and last), date of birth, date of collection, address, phone number, Social Security number, insurance information, physician’s name and address, source and site of specimen, pertinent clinical history.

Specimen Rejection: The following specimens will be returned to submitting physician:

1. No request form
2. Name on request form does not match name on specimen container
3. Unlabeled specimen
4. No doctor’s name given
5. Spilled specimen