Specimen

Whole Blood

Collection Medium:

Alternate
Collection Media:

Light Green top tube (Lithium Heparin)

Minimum:

Adult preferred minimum: 5 mL whole blood from green top tube AND six 
unfixed, well-prepared smears (smears to be prepared by lab).
Adult absolute minimum: 3 mL whole blood from green top tube AND six 
unfixed, well-prepared smears (smears to be prepared by lab).
Pediatric minimum: 1 mL whole blood from green top tube AND six 
unfixed, well-prepared smears (smears to be prepared by lab).

Rejection Criteria:

Specimen must be received at reference laboratory within 24 hours of 
collection; do not collect on Fridays, holidays, day before a holiday, 
or weekends; specimens collected in EDTA tubes, poorly prepared smears 
(too thick or no feather edge), broken smears, fixed smears.

Analytic Time:

1 week

Reference Range:

Female: 33-149 (no units)
Male: 22-124 (no units)

Comments:

PLEASE NOTE: ALL slides will be prepared by the Core laboratory staff 
from the green top (Na or Lithium Heparin) tube submitted for the 
reference laboratory.

When only unfixed smears are submitted, the slides must be received 
within 72 hours of preparation; protect from light and pack accordingly 
to avoid breakage.

Methodology:

Cytochemical Stain

CPT Code:

85540