Requests should be made using the Immunophenotyping request form. Ensure this form is complete and samples are received by the laboratory within 24 hours.

Immunophenotyping Request Form.pdf

“WGH Immunophenotyping” should be clearly stated on the form or packaging to enable delivery to the correct department.

Specimen Delivery Address:

HMDS/Immunophenotyping

Haematology/Biochemistry Combined Reception

Department of Laboratory Medicine

Western General Hospital

Crewe Road

Edinburgh

EH4 2XU

 

Urgent Samples:

Transport of urgent samples may require special transport arrangements to be made by the sender. The immunophenotyping team should be advised of the dispatch of an urgent sample.

E-mail: loth.hmdslothian@nhs.scot

Laboratory Tel: 0131 537 1914

 

Specimen Requirements

  •        Fresh whole blood or bone marrow in an EDTA anticoagulated tube
  •        Fresh cerebrospinal fluid, pleural fluid, ascitic fluid or peritoneal fluid in universal containers

These should be received by the laboratory within 24-48 hours after collection. Samples received outwith this time may be unsuitable for analysis and may be rejected, therefore where possible, specimens should not be sent after midday on Friday. If this is unavoidable, please telephone the laboratory and discuss with a senior member of the team.

Factors known to affect immunophenotyping:

  • Transport time. Fresh samples degrade during storage and results become increasingly unreliable after 48h. Samples greater than 72 hours old will not be processed for this reason. Samples should ideally arrive within the laboratory within 24 hours of collection to ensure accurate results.
  • Transport temperature. Inappropriately high and low temperatures can cause erroneous results. Fresh blood, bone marrow, cerebrospinal fluid, pleural fluid, ascitic fluid and peritoneal fluid samples should be stored at ambient temperature. 
  • Sample volume. Very small samples are more likely to be haemolysed or clotted. In addition, very small volumes with a low white cell count may provide insufficient cell numbers to carry out analysis, particularly where additional molecular testing is also indicated.
  • Sample type. The department can only accept the sample types listed in the tables listed under testing.
  • Collection tube. All blood and bone marrow samples must be collected in EDTA tubes. Samples collected in anything other than EDTA tubes will not be suitable for immunophenotyping. 

 If in doubt, please contact a member of the team prior to requesting.

 Mandatory Data Set

Referring clinicians are requested to comply with the NHS Lothian policy on mandatory data set requirements for patient identification on laboratory requests. The following information must be legible on the request form:

  • Patient identification number (CHI or NHS number
  • Surname
  • Forename
  • Date of birth
  • Gender
  • Date/time sample taken
  • Location and requesting clinician
  • Clinical details

 If the CHI/NHS number is not available, the data set must include the first line of the patient’s address and postcode.

Failure to comply with this policy will result in the sample being rejected or the result being delayed. Samples without minimum data, or for which data on the sample and accompanying documents do not match, will not be accepted.

All sample containers should be fully labelled and securely packaged. Please ensure that sample labels are appropriately sized and do not obstruct assessment of the sample. It is recommended that centres referring cases to HMDS call the laboratory, so we are aware of the samples being sent and can follow these up should they not arrive within the expected timeframe.

 Specimen Transportation

It is the responsibility of those taking and dispatching samples to the laboratory to ensure that these samples are sent in accordance with any national guidelines and/or local policies for the packaging, labelling and transport of biological material.

The Health and Safety Executive guidance, "Safe working and the prevention of infection in clinical laboratories and similar practices", recommends materials such as blood, tissue, excreta, secreta etc collected from humans be considered, as a minimum, Category B infectious substances. 

The following packaging, labelling and transport requirements are applicable for samples from otherwise healthy individuals, or where there is no reason to suspect that they are suffering from a severe infectious disease, and are derived from Packing Instruction P650 of the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR). Such samples are not subject to ADR provided the specimen is carried in a packaging which will prevent any leakage and which is marked with the words "EXEMPT HUMAN SPECIMEN".

The packaging is deemed to comply with the above requirements if it meets the following conditions:

  • The packaging should consist of three components: leak-proof primary receptacle(s), a leak-proof secondary packaging, and an outer packaging of adequate strength for its capacity, mass and intended use, and with at least one surface having minimum dimensions of 100 mm × 100 mm.
  •  For liquids, absorbent material in sufficient quantity to absorb the entire contents should be placed between the primary receptacle(s) and the secondary packaging so that, during carriage, any release or leak of a liquid substance will not reach the outer packaging and will not compromise the integrity of the cushioning material.
  • When multiple fragile primary receptacles are placed in a single secondary packaging, they must be either individually wrapped or separated to prevent contact between them.
  • Packages should be clearly labelled with the delivery address and sender details. Labels must be durable and legible.