Specimen Requirements
Minimum of 2.0 mL serum.
Supplies for Submission
SST/Gold Top (1)
Specimen Collection
- For patients receiving therapy with high biotin doses (> 5 mg/day), wait for at least 8 hours following the last biotin administration before collecting samples.
- Collect samples prior to prostate manipulations such as digital rectal exams (dre), prostate massage, transrectal ultrasound (trus), and prostate biopsy.
- Label serum separator tube (SST) with two identifiers. Acceptable identifiers include patient’s name, date of birth, social security number, requisition number, and medical record number.
- Allow SST contents to clot in an upright position for at least 30 minutes.
- Centrifuge within 2 hours of collection and refrigerate.
Storage Requirements
Refrigerated.
Specimens are stable if stored at room temperature for 1 day, refrigerated for 5 days or frozen for 6 months.
Causes for Rejections
Specimens with more than 1 freeze/thaw cycle are not accepted.