BIOLOGICAL

SPECIMENS

DR. E. P. ODUM
 TYPES OF BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS

1 . BLOOD
 Venous blood: derived via venepuncture, usually from the
median cubital vein
 Capillary blood: from skin puncture
 Arterial blood: from arterial puncture, usually for analysis of
arterial blood gases
 TYPES OF BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS

2. URINE
 Untimed (random) or Timed e.g. 1 hour, 4 hour, 24 hour.
 A cleanearly morning specimen is usually the most
concentrated and preferred.
±preservatives e.g. boric acid (cortisol, oestrogens, hCG), conc.
HCl (amino acids, calcium, magnesium, catecholamines).
 TYPES OF BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS

3. STOOL
 Todetect occult blood (Peptic ulcer disease or bleeding per
rectum), cystic fibrosis in children, malabsorption.

4. SALIVA: Drugs
 TYPES OF BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS

5.CEREBROSPINAL FLUID (Lumbar puncture): Glucose,

protein

6. SYNOVIAL FLUID (Arthrocentesis): Glucose, protein

7. AMNIOTIC FLUID (Amniocentesis): For prenatal diagnosis

of congenital disorders.
 TYPES OF BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS

8. PLEURAL (Thoracocentesis), PERICARDIAL

(Pericardiocentesis) and ASCITIC (Paracentesis) FLUIDS: For
protein or enzyme analysis to determine if it is an effusion or an
exudate.

9. SWAB: Used to collect epithelial cells of the cheek for

molecular genetics testing.
 TYPES OF BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS

10. SOLID TISSUE

 KidneyStones: calcium, phosphate, oxalate, urate, cystine and
xanthine analysis
 Gall(Biliary) Stones: cholesterol, bile pigments and calcium
analysis
 Malignant tissue from the breast for oestrogen and progesterone
receptors
 Hair and finger nails: trace metal analysis
SPECIMEN COLLECTION AND HANDLING

1. Collection
2. Transportation/preservation in transit
Arterial blood gases and ammonia: ice packs
Bilirubin and carotene: protect from daylight and
fluorescent light to prevent photo-degeneration
SPECIMEN COLLECTION AND HANDLING

3. Processing: centrifugation and separation of plasma or

serum from cells within 1 hour.
4. Storage
5. Analysis
SPECIMEN COLLECTION AND HANDLING

6. Interpretation of result
 The result of any test can only be interpreted as normal or
abnormal when compared with the appropriate reference
range/interval issued by the lab carrying out the analysis. And it
is only after interpretation by a Chemical Pathologist that it can
be recognized as a formal report to be sent to the requesting
physician.