How do I collect an FNA sample?

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ImpriMed steps for FNA collection

1. Disinfect the skin with alcohol (70%) at the planned needle puncture site.
2. Insert a 20-gauge needle (without syringe) into an enlarged lymph node and perform 15 - 20 aspirations using an aggressive “woodpecker style” technique.  Stop aspirating when the aspirate appears in the hub of the needle.
3. Attach the needle to a 5 - 10 mL syringe (with at least 1 ml of air). Tilt the collection tube upside down and inject the aspirated material directly into the medium.
4. Allow a small amount of fluid (~1/4 mL) to flush back into the needle, then gently reinject into a fluid medium to flush out the needle.
5. Repeat the procedure multiple times to ensure all the aspirate is transferred into the media tube.  

We need at least 10 million cells to conduct the drug response predictions, so if you need to aspirate from other affected nodes please do so. There are no additional costs for additional nodes or tubes. Typically, 2 FNA tubes of adequate cellularity are required to reach 10 million cells.  

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Important Note:

If a blood vessel was lacerated during the procedure and the collection tube becomes significantly bloody, please select a different biopsy site and repeat the procedure.  Store any FNA tubes in the fridge immediately after the biopsy. DO NOT freeze samples or the transport media.We also accept fresh lymph node tissue and spleen samples (within 24 hours of collection).