Specimen Requirements

1. If a lesion is crusted or covered by exudate, it may be useful to remove exudate and scrap base of lesion. Exfoliated material should be smeared on a glass slide.
2. If vesicles are present, an intact vesicle is selected and sterility unroofed. With a plastic loop, the interior of vesicle can be scraped and exfoliated material along with some vesicular fluid placed on 1 or 2 glass slides.
3. Slides may be fixed immediately or allowed to dry.
4. Label slides appropriately (patient’s name, history number, and specimen source).
Note:  Please complete a “Reference Pathology/Non-Gynecologic Cytology Request Form” in “Request Forms” in “Special Instructions” including specimen source and all pertinent clinical data (clinical symptoms, history of malignancy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and tentative diagnosis), and forward it with the specimen.