Specimen Requirements

Hydrate patient (several glasses of water 30 minutes to 1 hour
prior to collection).

Forms: Pathology requisition; include
patient’s full name, date of birth, specimen source, date of
service, and pertinent clinical history

Specimen Type: Urine, freshly voided, random
collection

Container/Tube: Plastic urine container;
CytoLyt solution

Specimen Volume: Entire collection

Collection Instructions:

1. Add equal amount or more of CytoLyt solution. Up to
90 mL of urine may be added to CytoLyt solution for fixation.

2. Label container with patient’s full name, date of
birth, date of collection, and source of specimen.
3. Send specimen with completed requisition to the laboratory
immediately at ambient temperature. If not fixed in CytoLyt
solution, send specimen refrigerated.

4. Causes for rejection include 24-hour or first-morning
specimen, inadequate specimen identification, or prior fixation in
alcohol or formalin.

Specimen Type: Urine, clean-catch,
midstream

Container/Tube: Screw-capped, sterile
container

Specimen Volume: Entire collection

Collection Instructions:

1. See Urine Collection in Special Instructions for
additional clean-catch, midstream collection instructions.

2. Add equal amount or more of CytoLyt solution. Up to 90
mL of urine may be added to CytoLyt solution for fixation.

3. Tighten cap on container securely, and wash any spilled
urine from outside of container.

4. Label container with patient’s full name, date of
birth, date of collection, and source of specimen.
5. Send specimen with completed requisition to the laboratory
immediately at ambient temperature. If not fixed in CytoLyt
solution, send specimen refrigerated.

6. Causes for rejection include 24-hour or first-morning
specimen, inadequate specimen identification, or prior fixation in
alcohol or formalin.

Specimen Type: Urine, catheterized

Container/Tube: Screw-capped, sterile
urine container

Specimen Volume: Entire collection

Collection Instructions:

1. Avoid sending urine that has remained stagnant in catheter
tubing for any length of time. Do not send catheter bag urine and
avoid sending urine from catheters that have been in place longer
than 5 to 9 days.
2. Clean catheter with an alcohol sponge, puncture with sterile
needle, and collect urine in sterile syringe.
3. Transfer urine into urine container.

4. Add equal amount or more of CytoLyt solution. Up to 90
mL of urine may be added to CytoLyt solution for fixation.

5. Tighten cap on container securely, and wash any spilled urine
from outside of container.

6. Label container with patient’s full name, date of
birth, date of collection, and source of specimen.
7. Send specimen with completed requisition to the laboratory
immediately at ambient temperature. If not fixed in CytoLyt
solution, send specimen refrigerated.

8. Causes for rejection include inadequate specimen
identification or prior fixation in alcohol or formalin.

Specimen Type: Urine, fresh, instrumented
specimen from urinary bladder, urethra, ureters, or renal
pelvis

Container/Tube: Screw-capped, sterile
container.

Specimen Volume: Entire collection

Collection Instructions:

1. Aseptically collect specimen.

2. Add equal amount or more of CytoLyt solution. Up to 90
mL of urine may be added to CytoLyt solution for fixation.

3. Label container with patient’s full name, date of
birth, date of collection, and source of specimen.
4. Send specimen with completed requisition to the laboratory
immediately at ambient temperature. If not fixed in CytoLyt
solution, send specimen refrigerated.

5. Causes for rejection include inadequate specimen
identification or prior fixation in alcohol or formalin.