Acceptance Criteria for Specimens/Test Requests

Sample Exceptions

Samples from invasive procedures such as:

  • Sterile body fluids/effusions and washes (amniocentesis, ascites, CSF, pericardial, pleural, peritoneal, synovial)
  • Stem cell harvests
  • Bronchoscopy samples
  • Urine obtained by cystoscopy or suprapubic aspiration
  • Deep wound
  • Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)

Non re-collectable samples:

  • Anatomic Pathology samples (surgical, bone marrow, fine needle aspirates. NOTE: Does not include pap tests.)
  • Parasite identification samples
  • Entire toenail or fingernail for fungus
  • Kidney stones / renal calculi
  • Food samples
  • Medical devices for culture (e.g. vascular catheter tips, intra-uterine devices)

Transplant samples

Cadaver samples
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The following additional exceptions have been approved by the CLS Medical Director:

Samples obtained before an intervention that might alter the result as such:

  • Timed collections
  • Blood cultures
  • Drug levels
  • Stimulation tests
  • Pre-dialysis samples
  • Certain research and clinical trial samples
  • Cord blood samples from stillborns

Neonatal and pediatric samples (NOTE: Excludes testing for the purpose of transfusing a patient)

FIT vials for colorectal screening (DOB accepted as second identifier)
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The following additional exceptions may be made in consultation with the ordering location/physician (and additional consultation with CLS medical/scientific staff as deemed necessary):

Samples where recollection would cause the patient undue hardship such as:

  • Samples from critically ill patients
  • Exceptional home care patient samples