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Biopsies are sent dry and kept around 4 C. It is essential that the reference
laboratory receive the specimen no later than 3 hours from the time the
specimen was taken.
The biopsy must be placed in sterile gauze soaked with normal sterile saline.
The gauze must then be placed in a sterile universal pot and transported to
the RCHT Histopathology laboratory immediately with a covering letter for
the reference laboratory containing full patient details, specimen details and
tests requested. The histology lab will then package the specimen to wait for
collection by the arranged courier.
It is important that the histology laboratory has at least 24 hours notice to
arrange correct packaging for any biopsy that is to be sent to another
hospital.
9.3. Additional Immunohistochemistry not available at RCHT is referred
to UCL. The slides are returned and interpreted by RCH histopathologists.
9.4. Her2 requests
The Her2 service is provided by the Molecular Cell Biology Unit (MCBU) to
the five hospital sites within the South West Peninsular network (RCHT,
Derriford, Exeter, Torbay, and Barnstaple). A ‘Her2’ request form must be
filled in by a secretary within one of these five sites, upon request by a
consultant pathologist.
The forms are available as an electronic document from the RCHT
Diagnostic and Molecular Pathology Office The request form should then be
sent with the appropriate paraffin wax block to the Histopathology
secretaries within the RCHT site:
Diagnostic and Molecular Pathology Department
Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust
Truro Cornwall TR1 3LJ
The request form MUST contain ALL the following information:
Patient forename, surname, DOB, patient address, NHS number, patient’s
GP, requesting consultant.
For requests where there is a private patient, the form MUST include the
name of the private insurer and the private policy number. If the patient is
paying for the test to be carried out privately without insurance, then this
must be specified on the Her2 request form.
10. Cytopathology Repertoire
10.1. Cervical Liquid Based Cytology (LBC) samples
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