Collection Instructions

Specimen Collection: Swab or Urine

Container(s): Alinity m Multi-Collect tube

1. Specimens should be obtained with a swab using a speculum moistened with sterile warm water to facilitate collection.
2. Lubricants other than water should not be used since they can be toxic to the organism.
3. Discard disposable transfer pipette; it is not required for endocervical swab specimen collection
4. Remove the sterile swab from the wrapper, taking care not to touch swab tip or lay it down on any surface
5. Insert the white tip of the specimen collection swab into the endocervix canal.
6. Gently rotate the swab for 15 – 30 seconds to ensure adequate sampling
7. Withdraw the swab, carefully
8. Handle the cap and tube carefully to avoid contamination, including the outside of the transport tube and cap. If necessary, change gloves.
9. Unscrew the transport tube cap and immediately place the specimen collection swab into the transport tube so that the white tip is down.
10. Carefully break the swab at the scored line on the shaft; use care to avoid splashing the contents
11. Recap the transport tube. Ensure the cap seals tightly.
12. Label the transport tube with sample ID, including date and time of collection.
13. Transport to lab within 24 hours at room temperature or 14 days refrigerated.

1. The patient must be instructed not to urinate at least 1 hour prior to sampling.
2. Insert swab 2-4 cm into Urethra.
3. Rotate swab for 3-5 seconds and withdraw swab.
4. Insert swab into the Abbott multi-collect transport media. Snap off shaft of swab at the score line.
5. Leave swab in tube. Cap tube and label specimen.
6. Transport specimen within 24 hours at room temperature or 14 days refrigerated.

Container(s): Sterile urine cup (with lid) or Alinity m multicollect sample kit

Preferred Volume to Collect: 30.0 mL
Minimum Volume to Collect: 10 mL if sterile cup is transported to lab; to fill line of Alinity m multicollect tube if transferred in office.

Aliquot: Yes - Transfer urine to Alinity m multicollect tube in office is preferred.

Collection Instructions:

1. First void ("dirty") urine is included in this collection, this is collected before a UA specimen, if both are needed.
2. Do not cleanse the genital area prior to specimen collection.
3. Patient should not have urinated for at least one hour prior to sample collection.
4. Follow directions above to obtain a first void urine specimen.
5. Discard specimen collection swab, it is not required for urine specimen collection.
6. Unscrew the transport tube cap, taking care not to spill the transport buffer within.
7. Handle the cap and tube carefully to avoid contamination.
8. Use the plastic transfer pipette to transfer urine from the collection cup into the transport tube until the liquid level in the tube falls within the clear fill window of the transport tube label or else a new specimen should be collected.
9. Do not overfill. Slightly more than one full squeeze of the transfer pipette bulb may be required to transfer the necessary volume of urine specimen.
10. Recap the transport tube carefully. Ensure the cap seals tightly.
11. Label the transport tube with sample identification information, including date of collection. Take care not to obscure the fill window on the transport tube.

Transport Temperature:  Ambient (room temperature) or Refrigerated

NOTE:  Failure to collect a urine specimen, including the first part of the voiding, may decrease the sensitivity of this test. If the specimen cannot be delivered to the laboratory within a few hours after collection it should be stored and refrigerated until it can be delivered. Specimen must be received in laboratory for analysis within 24 hours of collection.
 

Self-collected vaginal swabs may be used as opposed to provider-collected swabs. Self-collected swabs are supported by current clinical guidelines as recent studies have shown their equivalence, if not superiority, in quality and their association with increased patient satisfaction.

NOTE: Self-collection must still take place in a healthcare setting and is not approved for at-home collection.

LINK: Self-Swab for Testing

LINK: References

Specimen Type: Cervical cytology specimen

Container/Tube: ThinPrep Vial

Collection Instructions: Brush or Broom

Brush collection:

1. Obtain an adequate sampling from the ectocervix using a plastic spatula. If desired, use lukewarm water to warm and lubricate the speculum. Water-soluble gel lubricant sparingly applied to the posterior blade of the speculum can be used if necessary. Select contoured end of plastic spatula and rotate it 360 degrees around the entire exocervix while maintaining tight contact with exocervical surface.
2. Rinse the spatula as quickly as possible into the PreservCyt solution in the ThinPrep vial by swirling the spatula vigorously in the vial 10 times. Discard the spatula.
3. Obtain as adequate sampling from the endocervix using an endocervical brush device. Insert the brush into the cervix until only the bottom-most fibers are exposed. Slowly rotate 1/4 or 1/2 turn in one direction. Do not over-rotate.
4. Rinse the brush as quickly as possible into the PreservCyt solution in the ThinPrep vial by rotating the device in the solution 10 times while pushing against the PreservCyt vial wall. Swirl the brush vigorously to further release material. Discard the brush
5. Tighten the cap so that the torque line on the cap passes the torque line on the vial
6. Record the patient’s name and date of birth on the vial.

Broom collection:

1. Obtain an adequate sampling from the cervix by inserting the central bristles of the broom into the endocervical canal deep enough to allow the shorter bristles to fully contact the ectocervix.  Push gently, and rotate the broom in a clockwise direction five times.
2. Rinse the broom in the PreservCyt solution in the ThinPrep vial by pushing the broom into the bottom of the vial 10 times, forcing the bristles apart.
3. As a final step, swirl the broom vigorously to further release the material.
4. Discard the collection device.
5. Tighten the cap on the ThinPrep vial so that the torque line on the cap passes the torque line on the vial.
6. Record the patient’s name and date of birth on the vial.