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Respiratory Tract Washings (Bronchial Washing/Tracheal Washing)

Bronchial Washing, Bronchial Aspirates, Tracheal Washing, Tracheal Aspirate, Cytology, Non-Gyn Respiratory Specimen, CYTOLOGY, MEDICAL NON-GYN

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: 947-521-8247
• 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: Bronchial/Tracheal washing specimen in a mucus trap according to established endoscopic procedure.

Dearborn, Taylor, Trenton, Troy & Wayne: Tightly seal the specimen container. (Minimum: 10.0 mL)

Farmington Hills, Grosse Pointe & Royal Oak:  Add bronchial washing specimen for Cytology to ThinPrep CytoLyt^® solution vial (preferred). Tightly seal the specimen container. (Minimum: 5 mL, 10 mL preferred).

• Label the specimen container with an EPIC specimen label with the patient name, medical record number, source of specimen, test ordered, 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, medical record number and visit/CSN number, date of birth, date of specimen collection, pertinent patient history, ordering physician name and source of specimen. Place an EPIC specimen label on the requisition.

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Arrange for transportation to the Laboratory prior to specimen collection.

Specimens in a ThinPrep CytoLyt® Solution tube/vial 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: Bronchial/tracheal washing specimen from a mucus trap.  

Dearborn, Taylor Trenton, Troy and Wayne:
In a sterile collection container, refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F).

Farmington Hills, Grosse Pointe and Royal Oak:
In a sealed ThinPrep Cytolyt^® vial, room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F) or refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F). Unfixed specimens must be refrigerated.  

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.
• Specimens dried up in a cup or frozen.
• 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 AP 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.GP surgical specimens are picked up from the main OR every 2 ½ hours.  Endoscopy specimens are delivered to the AP lab throughout the day.
• When the AP Laboratory is closed, specimens may be delivered to the Clinical Pathology Specimen Processing area.  Specimens are to be placed in the fridge closest to the door after hours.  

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 hand-delivered to the Specimen Reception Department; phone number: 248-964-815.   

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 – 5:00 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:

Unfixed Specimen: 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

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

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

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

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

Laboratory

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

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 (most are prepared and screened at Royal Oak Cytology)

Performed

Monday – Friday, 6:30 am – 4:30 pm. (Royal Oak).
Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 4:00 (Farmington Hills).
Monday – Friday, 7:30 am – 4:00 pm. (Troy).
Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm (Grosse Pointe).
Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 5:00 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

Royal Oak, Troy, Farmington Hills, Grosse Pointe:
ThinPrep^® Monolayer Preparation only, routine processing.

Dearborn, Taylor, Trenton, Wayne: 
ThinPrep^® Monolayer Preparation and cell block, routine processing. 

CPT Codes

CPT: 88112, 88305 (Dearborn, Taylor, Trenton, Wayne) 
LOINC: 33716-2

Contacts

Last Updated

8/1/2024