Specimen Requirements
Specimen Collection
1. Perform an attentive DRE immediately prior to specimen collection (the specimen should be collected within approximately 1 hour of DRE):
[list order=Y type=a]
Apply firm pressure from the base to the apex and from the lateral to the medial line of the prostate.
Apply enough pressure to depress the surface slightly.
Perform 3 strokes for each lobe.
[/list]2. Instruct patient to collect the FIRST 20 - 30 mL of voided urine (do not catheterize) following the DRE.
3. Process the specimen within 4 hours of collection (if specimen cannot be processed within 15 minutes, store refrigerated or on ice and process within 4 hours).
Specimen Processing
1. Invert specimen cup 5 times to re-suspend cells.
2. Add 2.3 mL of urine to each of two GEN-PROBE PROGENSA PCA3 Urine Specimen Transport Tubes. Do not puncture the foil seal on the cap of the Transport Tube. The specimen volume must fall between the two black fill lines on the Transport Tube.
3. Tightly re-cap each Urine Transport Tube and gently invert 5 times to mix; do not shake or vortex. The specimen is now a "processed" urine specimen. Specimens must be received by performing laboratory within 5 days of collection. Shipping materials will be provided to return the specimen.
4. Label the Transport Tube with the patient’s first and last names as well as a second identifier such as the patient’s date of birth or medical record number.
5. Include serum PSA result and patient history with the specimens.
Attentive DRE must be performed immediately prior to specimen collection. Specimen must be processed within 4 hours of collection. Please refer to Collection Instructions for additional details.