Specimen Shipping

The following shipping containers can be ordered from client services:

• Small box 6.5” x 5” x 8"
• Medium box 11” x 6.5” x 2.75”
• Large / dry ice box 11” x 9” x 10”

Freezer Gel Packs and biohazard specimen transport bags are also available separately.

To pack a shipping container:

1. Wrap each specimen in a paper towel and place it inside the specimen requisition bag along with the absorbent pad.
2. Place the requisition form into the side pouch of the bag  (Please do not wrap the specimen with the requisition form).
3. Place the specimen/requisition bag inside the large zipper bag and pack into the styrofoam container.
4. If needed, place a refrigerated gel pack behind any foam inserts such that it does not make contact with the specimens.

Small box
Contains 6.5” x 5” x 8” styrofoam box with gray inserts, 30mL absorbent pad, specimen/requisition bag, large zipper bag.

Suitable for blood, bone marrow, paraffin blocks, fresh tissue, swabs, CSF, amniotic fluid, POC’s.

Not suitable for frozen specimens, Liquid Cytology (ThinPrep® or SurePath™ vials).

Medium box
Contains 11” x 6.5” x 2.75” cardboard box with 100mL absorbent pad, specimen/ requisition bag and large zipper bag. There is no thermal insulation.

Suitable for Liquid Cytology media (ThinPrep or SurePath vials) and swabs.

Not suitable for blood, bone marrow, paraffin blocks, fresh tissue, frozen tissue, CSF, amniotic fluid, POC’s.

Large / dry ice box
Contains 11” x 9” x 10” styrofoam box with rigid cardboard over-pack. Packages with dry ice require trained and certified personnel and are subject to inspection by federal and or private inspectors.

Suitable for large numbers of all specimen types. Open space must be filled prior to shipping.

Specimen containers provided

For Chlamydia Trachomatis and Neisseria Gonorrhoeae testing only:

• Pour-off Gen-Probe Aptima green tube for liquid cytology specimens
• Gen-Probe Aptima® Unisex swab collection kit (Blue swabs)
• Gen-Probe Aptima Urine collection tube kit (Yellow tube). Note urine can also be provided in the primary collection container.

For infectious diseases excluding Chlamydia Trachomatis and Neisseria Gonorrhoeae:

• MPLN Pathogen Collection Kit (swab with transport medium)
• PPT Specimen Collection Tube (HIV specimens only)
• Digene HPV DNA Cervical Swab Collection Kit

Containers for tissue:

• MPLN RPMI Tissue Transport Medium- Standard 10mL Tube
• MPLN RPMI Tissue Transport Medium- Small (FNA) 3mL Tube

Collection kit for bone marrow:

• Collection kit for FISH, flow cytometry, cytogenetics, pathology, etc.