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Lab Test Dictionary

Buffy Coat

Methodology

Electron Microscopy (EM)

Specimen Type

Whole Blood or Bone Marrow

Performing Lab

RCHSD Histology

Epic ID

LAB0282

Lab Test Days

Monday-Friday

Standard TAT

3-5 Days

Stat TAT

48 hrs

Collection Information

Specimen Required

1-3 mL Whole Blood or Bone Marrow

Container Type

EDTA (Lavender-Top) Tube

Processing Information - Lab Use Only

Test Volume Required

3 mL Whole Blood or Bone Marrow

Minimum Test Volume

1 mL Whole Blood or Bone Marrow

Processing Instructions

Deliver sample to Histology during business hours Monday-Friday 0500-1700. If received after hours, deliver to Hematology for processing. Processing Instructions (for Hematology): 1. Place the whole blood or bone marrow aspirate specimen in 2 Wintrobe tubes and centrifuge the tubes at 3500 rpm for 20 minutes. After centrifugation, aspirate the buffy coat (white layer between the red cell and plasma) from each Wintrobe tube, then consolidate all of the aspirations into another Wintrobe tube and centrifuge again for 20 minutes. Following the second centrifugation, carefully remove and discard the straw-colored plasma layer, and avoid disturbing the buffy coat. Aspirate off the buffy coat, while avoiding the red cells as much as possible. 2. Transfer the entire buffy coat portion to the vial containing EM fixative. Label the vial, place it in a biohazard bag, and write buffy coat on the bag. Then place the bag in the yellow Histo bucket in the hem/chem refrigerator.

Comments

If whole blood or bone marrow for buffy coat is received after hours (after 5pm and weekends), please refer to H058 Handling of Anatomic Pathology Specimens Received After Hours, Weekends, and Holidays, for buffy coats EM009.1 Processing of Bone Marrow Aspirates/Peripheral Blood sections 5.2 through 5.2.5, the after-hours binder, or contact the pathologist on call.