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Fine Needle Aspiration - Farmington Hills

FNA, Needle aspirate, Fine needle biopsy, FNB, CYTOLOGY, MEDICAL FNA

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB7907

Instructions

• Contact the Cytology Laboratory at 947-521-8249 for assistance in preparation of the FNA specimen. The Cytotechnologist will bring slides, collection fluid, and fixative.
• It is strongly recommended that all FNAs be attended/assisted and prepared by a Cytotechnologist / Cytology Assistant during the hours of operation. Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 3:30 pm.
• If a radiologist decides to perform a fine needle aspiration during off-hours (before 8:00 am or after 3:30 pm on a weekday or weekend) the Cytology Laboratory can supply individual containers of RPMI fluid for collection of separate fine needle biopsy attempts. Personnel from Diagnostic Radiology/Endoscopy must communicate with the Cytology Laboratory during working hours so that the RPMI fluid can be provided. (This preparation method is less than optimal and inferior to the routine preparation method).

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect: Fill the hub of a 10 cc luer lock syringe with cellular material from the target organ, using a 23 gauge or smaller needle.

• Localize lesion.
• Draw approximately 1/2 cc of air into a 10 cc luer lock syringe. Place needle into lesion and apply negative pressure in order to aspirate specimen. Continue to apply negative pressure until the hub of the syringe is full.
• Release negative pressure, withdraw the needle from the patient, and expel onto a slide provided by a Cytology Assistant. The slide will be immediately submerged and fixed in 95% ethanol or spray fixed.
• Rinse the needle in tissue culture medium (RPMI).
• The Cytotechnologist / Cytology Assistant will label the slides with patient name, DOB, source of the specimen.
• A separate pass is recommended for each additional test requested (i.e. flow cytometry, core biopsy, microbiology).
• Label the specimen container with the Cytology case number, patient name, 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 “CYTOLOGY, MEDICAL FNA” and fill in all appropriate fields. IMPORTANT: ORDER AND SIGN EACH CYTOLOGY TEST INDIVIDUALLY. THE LABORATORY INFORMATION SYSTEM CANNOT FILE MULTIPLE TESTS ORDERED IN THE SAME SESSION AND SOME ORDERS MAY BE LOST. Label specimen container and requisition with EPIC specimen labels.
• All Cytology specimens must be accompanied by a requisition and must include the patient name, hospital and visit number, date of birth, date of specimen collection, pertinent patient history, physician name and source of specimen. 

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Maintain fixed FNA slides at room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F) and RPMI tube in fridge (2-8°C or 36-46°F).

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: Fixed FNA slides at room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F), and RPMI tube in fridge/ cooler (2-8°C or 36-46°F).

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).
• Any specimen received without all of the required information will result in a delay of processing until all information can be verified.

Inpatient Specimen Preparation

• Deliver the specimen directly to the Cytology Laboratory (2nd floor, East) Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 3:00 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.

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Fixed FNA Slides and Cytospin Collection Fluid
Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 30 years
RPMI Tube 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:

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

Laboratory

Farmington Hills Cytology Laboratory

Performed

Test Methodology

Smear preparation, Cytospin preparation, cell block preparation.

CPT Codes

CPT: 88173, 88305.
LOINC: 33716-2. 

Contacts

Last Updated

3/17/2021