Reference Lab Diagnostics
Biopsy Submissions Made Simple: Best Practices for Better Results
Everything you need to submit biopsies the right way — clearly, cleanly, and with confidence.
When it comes to biopsy results, small details can make a big difference. From sample prep to labeling and packaging, following a few simple steps helps ensure faster turnaround times, better preservation, and more accurate diagnoses. This quick-reference guide is your go-to resource for submitting samples seamlessly.
Antech provides 40-, 60- and 120-mL biopsy jars free of charge for your convenience. They can be ordered online at Healthtracks™.
Antech provides packaging materials/containers free of charge for shipping biological specimens to ensure they are packaged and shipped in full compliance with the Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations. These are available to order through HealthTracks™. Please note that our couriers are unable to pick up packages that do not meet DOT regulations.
What to Do: Submission Best Practices
For specimens under 20 cm:
- Submit in 10% Neutral Buffered Formalin (NBF) in a leak-proof, wide-mouth, screw-top plastic container, with 1:10 tissue-to-NBF ratio. You can order Department of Transportation (DOT) compliant jars in a variety of sizes from Antech at no cost through HealthTracks™.
- Never submit samples with over 1 Liter of formalin
- Place tissue in NBF as soon as possible after collection with minimal handling. Surgical lights and instrument handling can damage biopsies.
- For very small biopsies placed in cassettes, label with solvent-resistant pens. Many pencils, pens, and markers (including Sharpies) wash off in NBF.
- If there are multiple biopsies for a patient, bag those together with a single submission form. Always bag jars with formalin separately from all other testing (cytology, cultures, etc.).
- If you’d like specific anatomic margins measured and reported, mark at least two contiguous margins with sutures and/or staples (ex: one suture rostral and two sutures RLat).
- Never submit sharps of any kind with samples.
- For our safety, let us know if any metal (ex: orthopedic wire, plate) is present in the sample.
- Always label the biopsy container with the patient’s name, hospital name, and contents. Do not label lids.
For specimens that measure over 20 cm (too large for a jar—for example, a spleen) you can either cut the sample into smaller pieces that each fit into the containers, or submit the sample whole, following these guidelines:
- DO NOT SUBMIT IN FORMALIN.
- Wrap the specimen in saline dampened with gauze or paper towels. Gauze should NOT be dripping wet; there should be no free-flowing fluid accumulation in the bag.
- Triple-bag the sample in large releasable plastic bags or leak-proof, see-through garbage bags.Place absorbent liner between second and third bags.
- Always label the outer bag with the patient’s name, hospital name, and contents. Write “SALINE” on the label to indicate DOT compliance.
- Refrigerate until pick up and submit with cool pack(s) (1 brick per kg is recommended) if the weather is warm (> 60 °F).
- Never submit sharps of any kind with samples.
- For our safety, let us know if any metal (ex: orthopedic wire, plate) is present in the sample.
- NOTE: At Antech, there is no additional charge for processing histology samples larger than 20 cm.
For the best results, always include:
- Brief patient history
- Description of the lesion (what you saw)
- Suspected differential diagnoses
- Questions you want the biopsy report to answer
- Anything else you want the pathologist to know
What Not to Do: Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Check out our visual reference library of “don’ts” — from unlabeled lids to improper fixative use — to see examples of submissions that delay diagnostics.
Loose Lid
Excess Fluid & Leaking
No Sharps
No Buckets
We’re Here to Help
Still have questions? Need more formalin containers or submission forms?
Our Antech team is just a call away. You can also request a printed version of the biopsy submission guide through your local representative.
Call Support
800-872-1001 (U.S.)
800-341-3440 (Canada)