Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL)

Bronchial lavage, Cytology, Non-Gyn Respiratory Specimen, CYTOLOGY, MEDICAL (NON-GYN), MEDICAL CYTOLOGY REQUEST

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB2111297

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: Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) specimen in a sterile collection container under established endoscopic procedure. 

Dearborn, Farmington Hills, Grosse Pointe, Royal Oak, Trenton, Taylor, Troy, and Wayne
Add BAL specimen for Cytology to ThinPrep^® CytoLyt solution vial(preferred). If requesting stain for lipid laden macrophages or PAS stain submit an unfixed specimen. Tightly seal the specimen container. (Minimum 5.0 mL, 10.0 mL preferred). 

• Unfixed wash specimens should be immediately delivered to the Cytology Laboratory or refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F) to slow deterioration of cell morphology.
• Label the specimen container with EPIC specimen label with the patient name, date of birth, medical record, 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 which contain patient name, medical record number, source of specimen, test ordered, and date of test.
• 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

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: BAL specimen in a sealed, sterile container, refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F).

Royal Oak: BAL specimen in a sealed ThinPrep^® Cytolyt vial, room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F) or refrigerated if in saline (2-8°C or 36-46°F). 

Rejection Criteria

• Improper labeling of specimen container or 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.
• Specimens that leak outside of specimen container into transport bags.
• 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 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, 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, 7:00 am – 3:00 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.

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.
• NOTE: DO NOT tube large volumes of body fluid – these must be hand delivered.

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:

Specimen fixed in ThinPrep^® Cytolyt solution:
Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F)

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 

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

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

Specimen fixed in ThinPrep^® Cytolyt solution:
Room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 2 weeks from receipt in Cytology Laboratory, Dearborn: 1 week from receipt in the Cytology laboratory. 

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 out the following day. 

Test Methodology

ThinPrep^® Monolayer Preparation only, routine processing. 

CPT Codes

CPT: 88112.
LOINC: 33716-2. 

Contacts

Last Updated

9/26/2025