Dermatopathology Transcription
Director: James Fitzpatrick, MD
Vice Director: J. Clark Huff, MD
Lab Manager: Jennifer McMahon, BS
1665 Aurora Court, F703
Aurora, CO 80045
720-848-0443
Things To Remember:
- Label the vial properly
- Fill form out completely
- Tighten vial lid
- Do not place biopsy in Formalin
- Biopsies in IF Fixative should stay at room temperature
Location:
The IF laboratory is on the 3rd floor of the cancer pavilion in the Dermatology
Clinical Area, Room CP-3039A. The entrance is through the Mohs laboratory.
Hours:
Office hours vary, but typical hours are from 9am-5pm Monday-Friday.
Turnaround Times:
Samples are usually processed and completed processed within 1 business day after
receipt unless there are technical problems. Typically, you will receive a report
either same day or 1 business day after the lab receives your sample.
Transport Medium:
We will supply you with IF fixative (also called Zeus fixative or Michel’s media).
Simply call the IF lab or place your order online. This media should remain at room
temperature. A biopsy accidentally placed in formalin, if
only for a few seconds, will be unusable for IF. Please keep this in mind
before sending a sample accident accidentally placed in formalin, as it could read
falsely negative.
Taking the Biopsy:
A punch biopsy is preferred (3-4 mm); however, shave and excision biopsies are also
acceptable for processing. Biopsies for immunobullous diseases are best if taken
from non-lesional skin that is 1 to 2 cm away from a lesion. Make sure the biopsy
is fully immersed in IF fixative before tightening the vial lid. The biopsy should
be kept at room temperature until it reaches the laboratory.
Serum:
At least 0.5 mL (1.0 mL is better) of serum needed for indirect IF and ELISA testi
ng. If a centrifuge is available to you, please spin down the blood and separate
off the serum, transfer to another red top blood tube and send to us. Refrigerate
until the sample is shipped. Make sure the tube is well labeled.
Shipping Instructions:
You can send your samples via USPS mail or by overnight delivery.
Please ensure the lid or stopper is tightened and then place in a biohazard
bag. It is of the utmost importance that the lid on the vial or stopper on the tube
is tightened before being shipped. Include the completed requisition form making
sure it is in a separate area of the biohazard bag. Please get the biopsy to lab
within one week after placing in fixative.
Courier Instructions:
If the sample is to be delivered by courier, it is not necessary to package in any
thing but a biohazard bag. The courier should take to either room CP 3247 or room
CP 3039A. These rooms are both located on the third floor of the Anschutz Cancer
Pavilion. The samples should not be left anywhere else. Do not leave samples at
the front desk of the Cancer Pavilion. If no one is in the IF lab in room 3039A,
please leave in the red IF basket.
Requisition Forms:
Please use the IF requisition form provided. Click here to download form. It is essential that the doctor’s name, clinic address, fax
number, and patient name be provided on every requisition form submitted. Please
clearly mark if the patient has any infectious diseases, especially TB, Hep B, Hep
C and HIV. Automatic emailing of reports in now available. Please supply an email
address if you would like us to email you a copy as soon as it is signed out.
Billing:
Billing is done by University Physicians Inc (UPI). Please note whether you want
UPI to bill your office or the patient’s insurance company.
For billing questions, please call 720-848-0612. Please do not call the
IF laboratory