Lab Test

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Breast Nipple Secretion

Nipple smear, Nipple discharge, CYTOLOGY, MEDICAL NONGYN, MEDICAL CYTOLOGY REQUEST

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB2111297

Department

Cytology

Instructions

The Cytology Laboratory can provide slides, slide carriers, and spray fixative for specimen collection:

  • 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: Nipple secretion on a glass slide.

  • Label a slide with two patient-specific identifiers (such as patient name and date of birth) using a lead pencil on the frosted end of the slide prior to collecting the specimen. Please indicate specimen laterality (“R” or “L”).
  • Between the thumb and forefinger, gently press the nipple and place any secretion directly onto the glass slide. Immediately spray fix the secretion then air dry the slide before placing the glass slide into the slide carrier. Do not place a coverslip on the slide.
  • Label the slide carrier with EPIC specimen labels with the patient's full name, date of birth, hospital number, source of specimen, and date of test.
  • In house cytology specimens should be ordered in EPIC order entry. In the “additional orders” field input “MEDICAL CYTOLOGY REQUEST” and fill in all appropriate fields. Label specimen container and requisition with EPIC specimen labels.
  • All Cytology specimens should be accompanied by a requisition and must include the patient name, medical record 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.
  • It is imperative when submitting multiple specimens on the same patient that the labels on the requisition and vial match the correct EPIC order to ensure proper source/collection type to be assigned to the specimens.

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Maintain the slide at room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F) prior to transport to the Laboratory. Place slide in appropriate slide container for transport.

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: Slide container at room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F).

Rejection Criteria

  • Improper labeling of specimen slide, specimen slide container or requisition.
  • Requisitions not accompanied by a specimen.
  • Improper collection of specimen (such as improper fixation).
  • Slide stuck to cardboard slide carrier due to being placed in carrier while wet.
  • Glass coverslip placed on top of specimen on slide and dried together 
  • Any specimen received without all the required information will result in a delay of processing until all information can be verified.

Inpatient Specimen Preparation

Dearborn

  • Deliver directly to Cytology: Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 5:00 pm.
  • Deliver directly to Histology Lab: Monday – Friday, 6:00 am – 5:00 pm, 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 and Histology Labs are closed specimens must be delivered to the Main Lab window and signed in.

Farmington Hills

  • Deliver the specimen directly to the Cytology Laboratory (2nd floor, East): Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 4:30 pm.
  • Specimens are also picked up throughout the day from the surgical floors and Endoscopy: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm.
  • After 4:30 pm and on weekends/holidays, deliver to Lab Central Processing.

Grosse Pointe

  • Deliver the specimen directly to the AP Lab (first level): Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm. After hours, specimens are taken to the Clinical Pathology Main Lab (lower level), entered in the specimen log, handed to lab staff and placed in the refrigerator.
  • Specimens are picked up by the AP Lab staff throughout the day from the Surgical Department and Clinical Pathology Main Lab: Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm. Endoscopy and radiology specimens are delivered to the AP Lab throughout the day.
  • When the AP Laboratory is closed, specimens are delivered to the Clinical Pathology Main Lab specimen processing area. Specimens are to be entered into the specimen log, handed to lab staff and placed in the refrigerator. 

Royal Oak

  • Deliver specimen directly to the Cytology Laboratory (North Tower, Lower Level, West Wing): Monday – Friday, 6:00 am – 6:00 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 Corewell Health Laboratory Research Building), or the STAT Lab.

Taylor

  • Deliver to Histology: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm.
  • After hours, deliver specimens to the Main Lab. Open 24/7.

Trenton

  • Specimens are picked up from Emergency Department, Interventional Radiology, and operating rooms: Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm.
  • After hours, deliver specimens to the Main Lab. Open 24/7.

Troy

  • All specimens must be hand-delivered to the Specimen Reception: phone number 248-964-8615.

Wayne

  • Specimens are picked up from Emergency Department and Interventional Radiology: Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm.
  • After hours, deliver specimens to the Main Lab. Open 24/7.

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): Indefinite
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): Acceptable, but not recommended
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): Unacceptable

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 11 years

Laboratory

Dearborn, Grosse Pointe, Farmington Hills, Taylor, Trenton, Troy, and Wayne Cytology Laboratories

Original specimen registration is performed prior to sending to Royal Oak Cytology Laboratory.

Final results on specimens from Taylor, Trenton, Wayne, and Dearborn are issued by the Dearborn hospital. 

Final results on Farmington Hills and Troy specimens are issued by the originating hospitals.

Royal Oak Cytology Laboratory

Dearborn, Taylor, Trenton, Wayne, Grosse Pointe, Troy, and Farmington Hills specimens are sent to Royal Oak Cytology Laboratory for preparation and screening. 

Final results on Grosse Pointe and Royal Oak specimens are issued by the Royal Oak hospital.

Performed

Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 5:00 pm (Dearborn).
Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 4:30 pm (Farmington Hills).
Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm (Grosse Pointe).
Monday – Friday, 6:00 am – 6:00 pm (Royal Oak).
Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm (Taylor).
Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm (Trenton). 
Monday – Friday, 7:30 am – 4:00 pm (Troy).
Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm (Wayne).

Most results are available within 24-36 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 on the following day. 

Test Methodology

Pap stained smear preparation.

CPT Codes

CPT: 88161.
LOINC: 33716-2. 

Contacts

Last Updated

9/26/2025

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