Frozen Sections

Pathology category

Cellular pathology

Test information

The department provides a rapid diagnostic service for intra-operative tissue specimens. Requests for frozen section should be telephoned to the histopathology laboratory (01905 760199) in advance of the procedure being undertaken.

The process from specimen receipt in the laboratory to verbal report issued takes 15 to 30  minutes however this time may be shortened or lengthened slightly based on the nature of the sample received.

Code

Referral code

Request form

Request form must have Patients full name, date of birth, contact or bleep number, patients consultant, tissue type/nature of specimen and time taken

Guidelines

These must always be arranged in advance with the WRH laboratory to ensure that staff and equipment are available.

Tissue taken for frozen section should be placed in a suitably sized container.

Pre-analytical

Frozen section specimens should NOT be placed in formalin but transported to the laboratory as soon as possible in a sealed and appropriately sized sterile container.

Any materials used in taking these samples must be discarded in an approved clinical waste and/or sharps container.

Reference range

Tube type

Tube type info

Appropiately sized sterile container

Special requirements

Transport of the fresh tissue is arranged by the requesting clinical team and histopathology team.

Minimum volume

Assay frequency

TAT Inpatient (urgent)

TAT Inpatient

TAT GP/Outpatient

Referral lab