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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, 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: Bronchial/Tracheal washing specimen in a mucus trap according to established endoscopic procedure.

Dearborn, Farmington Hills, Grosse Pointe, Royal Oak, Trenton, Taylor, Troy, and Wayne

Add washing specimen for Cytology to ThinPrep^®CytoLyt solution vial (preferred). Acceptable: Unfixed, raw specimen in sterile container. 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).

• 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 “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 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.
• 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

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, Farmington Hills, Grosse Pointe, Royal Oak, Trenton, Taylor, Troy and Wayne

Room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F) if in Cytolyt, or refrigerated if unfixed (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.
• 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

In-Lab Processing

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 and Histology Labs are closed specimens must be delivered to the Main Lab and signed in.

Farmington Hills

• Deliver the specimen directly to the Cytology Laboratory (2nd floor, East) Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 4:00 30 pm.
• Specimens are also picked up throughout the day from the surgical floors and Endoscopy, Monday – Friday, at 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 3:00 pm.
• After 4:30 pm, and on weekends/holidays, deliver to Lab Central. 

Grosse Pointe

• Deliver the specimen directly to the AP lab (first level) Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm. After hours, the 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, 6:30 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 Corewell Health Laboratory Research Building), or STAT lab.

Taylor

• Deliver to Histology: Monday – Friday, 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 Department, Interventional Radiology, and operating rooms: Monday – Friday, 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 Department; phone number: 248-964-8615.  

Wayne

• Specimens are picked up from Emergency Department and Interventional Radiology: Monday – Friday, 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

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

Performed

Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 5:00 pm (Dearborn).
Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 4:00 pm (Farmington Hills).
Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm (Grosse Pointe).
Monday – Friday, 6:30 am – 4:30 pm (Royal Oak).
Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 3:00 pm (Taylor).
Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 3:00 pm (Trenton).
Monday – Friday, 7:30 am – 4:00 pm (Troy).
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

Dearborn, Farmington Hills, Grosse Pointe, Royal Oak, Taylor, Trenton, Wayne, and Troy:
ThinPrep^® Monolayer Preparation only, routine processing.

CPT Codes

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

Contacts

Last Updated

9/30/2025