B Tests

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Bacterial Vaginosis- see Genital tract and associated infections 

 

Balanitis 

  • Test Name: Balanitis
  • Laboratory: Microbiology
  • Specimen Type: Sub-prepuce swab
  • Specimen Container: Amies charcoal swab
  • Specimen Volume: N/A
  • Specimen Requirements: Refrigerate if delivery to the laboratory is delayed
  • Other details:N/A
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay:Daily
  • Turnaround Time: 2-4 days
  • Phone alert limits: Group A streptococci isolates, new MRSA isolates from hospital in patients and N.gonorrhoeae isolates are all phoned to the requesting clinician
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp:N/A

 

Bartholins abscess 

  • Test Name: Bartholins abscess
  • Laboratory: Microbiology
  • Specimen Type: Pus / Swab
  • Specimen Container: Sterile universal container/ Amies charcoal swab.
  • Specimen Volume: At least 1ml of pus / if possible swab should be well soaked in pus
  • Specimen Requirements: Refrigerate if delivery to the laboratory is delayed
  • Other details: N/A
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay:Daily
  • Turnaround Time: 2-4 days
  • Phone alert limits: Group B Streptococci isolates from all antenatal and post-natal in-patients, Group A streptococci isolates, new MRSA isolates from hospital in patients and N.gonorrhoeae isolates are all phoned to the requesting clinician
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp: N/A

 

Bartonella/ Cat Scratch

  • Test Name: Bartonella/Cat scratch
  • Laboratory: Serology External
  • Specimen Type: Clotted blood specimen
  • Specimen Container: Yellow, White (paediatric)
  • Specimen Volume: 4ml clotted blood (1.5ml paediatric).
  • Specimen Requirements: Refrigerate if delivery to the laboratory is delayed.
  • Other details: N/A
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay: Referred to external test site
  • Turnaround Time: 21 Days
  • Phone alert limits: N/A
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp: N/A

 

Bence Jones Protien (BJP) 

  • Test Name: Bence Jones Prot.(BJP)
  • Laboratory: Biochemistry
  • Specimen Type: Urine
  • Specimen Container: Universal container (white top)
  • Specimen Volume: 20mls
  • Specimen Requirements: Early morning urine is the specimen of choice.
  • Other details:
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay:
  • Turnaround Time: 5 working days
  • Phone alert limits: N/A
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp: N/A

 

Beta 2 Microglobulin 

  • Test Name: Beta 2 Microglobulin
  • Laboratory: Biochemistry
  • Specimen Type: Serum/Plasma
  • Specimen Container: Yellow (Green for WRH in house samples only)
  • Specimen Volume: 4mls
  • Specimen Requirements: N/A
  • Other details:
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay: Daily
  • Turnaround Time: Routine - 2 working days. Urgent < 3 hours.
  • Phone alert limits: N/A
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp: N/A

 

Beta-D-Glucan 

  • Test Name: Beta-D-Glucan
  • Laboratory: Serology External
  • Specimen Type: Serum
  • Specimen Container: Yellow 
  • Specimen Volume: 4mls
  • Specimen Requirements: Refrigerate if a delay in sending to the laboratory
  • Other details: N/A
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay: Referred to external test site
  • Turnaround Time: Routine - 7 days
  • Phone alert limits: N/A
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp: N/A

 

Beta HCG 

  • Test Name: Beta HCG
  • Laboratory: Biochemistry
  • Specimen Type: Serum/Plasma
  • Specimen Container: Yellow(Green for WRH in house samples only)
  • Specimen Volume: 4mls
  • Specimen Requirements: N/A
  • Other details: Clinical details must be provided.
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay: Daily
  • Turnaround Time: Routine - 1 working day Urgent <3 hours
  • Phone alert limits: N/A
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp: N/A

 

Bicarbonate/CO2 

  • Test Name: Bicarbonate/CO2
  • Laboratory: Biochemistry
  • Specimen Type: Serum/Plasma
  • Specimen Container: Yellow (Green for WRH in house samples only)
  • Specimen Volume: 4mls
  • Specimen Requirements: N/A
  • Other details:
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay: Daily
  • Turnaround Time: Routine - 2 working day Urgent <3 hours
  • Phone alert limits: <10mmol/L
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp: N/A

 

Bile acids 

  • Test Name: Bile acids
  • Laboratory: Biochemistry Referred Test - Send separate request form and sample for referral.
  • Specimen Type: Serum
  • Specimen Container: Yellow
  • Specimen Volume: 4mls
  • Specimen Requirements: N/A
  • Other details: Please send a separate request form and specimen.
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay:
  • Turnaround Time: 3 weeks
  • Phone alert limits: Urgent results are communicated.
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp:

 

Bilirubin - Direct 

  • Test Name: Bilirubin - Direct
  • Laboratory: Biochemistry
  • Specimen Type: Serum/Plasma
  • Specimen Container: Yellow (Green for WRH in house samples only)
  • Specimen Volume: 4mls
  • Specimen Requirements: N/A
  • Other details: N/A
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay: Daily
  • Turnaround Time: Routine - 2 working day Urgent <3 hours
  • Phone alert limits: N/A
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp: N/A

 

Bilirubin - Total 

  • Test Name: Bilirubin - Total
  • Laboratory: Biochemistry
  • Specimen Type: Serum/Plasma
  • Specimen Container: Yellow (Green for WRH in house samples only)
  • Specimen Volume: 4mls
  • Specimen Requirements: N/A
  • Other details: N/A
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay: Daily
  • Turnaround Time: Routine - 2 working day Urgent <3 hours
  • Phone alert limits:
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp: N/A

 

Bird fanciers Disease 

  • Test Name: Bird fanciers Disease
  • Laboratory: Serology External
  • Specimen Type: Clotted Blood Specimen
  • Specimen Container: Yellow, white (paediatric).
  • Specimen Volume: 4ml clotted blood (1.5ml paediatric).
  • Specimen Requirements: Refrigerate if delivery to the laboratory is delayed
  • Other details: N/A
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay: Referred to external test site
  • Turnaround Time: 28 days
  • Phone alert limits:N/A
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp: N/A

 

Blood Culture 

  • Test Name: Blood Culture
  • Laboratory: Microbiology
  • Specimen Type: Blood Culture
  • Specimen Container: Blood culture bottle
  • Specimen Volume: 8-10ml (1-3ml paediatric). In suspected endocarditis, two sets of blood cultures should be taken from separate venepuncture sites.
  • Specimen Requirements: The optimal time for collection is before antimicrobial therapy and as soon as possible after a spike of fever. Blood cultures should be transported to the laboratory within 4 hours of collection, for loading to the blood culture system.Where there is a delay in transport to the laboratory or loading onto the blood culture system, blood cultures MUST NOT be refrigerated.
  • Other details: Blood cultures taken in South Tipperary General Hospital, Wexford General Hospital and St Luke's Hospital Kilkenny are incubated on the Bactec on site in these laboratories please refer to the user manual at the individual site for details. Blood cultures that flag positive at these sites are sent to UHW for processing.
  • How to collect Blood Cultures.
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay: Daily
  • Turnaround Time:Gram stains within 2 hours of turning positive on the Bactec. Negative reports available after 36hrs incubation for paediatric and 48hrs for adults. Ongoing culture for 5 days (7 days for suspected Bacterial endocarditis (BE), Infective Endocarditis (IE), Subacute bacterial endocarditis (SBE), cardiac vegetation, prosthetic valves in situ & Brucella cases) with further reports if positive after initial 36/48hrs. Identification and susceptibility within 2 days of growth.
  • Phone alert limits: All positive gram stains/isolates are phoned to the requesting clinicians. Gram stains phoned within 2 hours of turning positive on the Bactec.
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp: N/A

 

Blood Film 

  • Test Name: Blood Film Examination
  • Laboratory: Haematology
  • Specimen Type: Blood Films
  • Specimen Container: Plastic Slide Carrier
  • Specimen Volume: N/A
  • Specimen Requirements: Films must be well made & clearly labelled. Refer to How to make a blood film
  • Other Details: The Haematology Laboratory performs blood film examination on a number of abnormal FBCs. The protocol as to which abnormal FBCs receives blood film examination and the frequency is decided by the consultant haematologist. If required, a blood film examination may be requested on an FBC sample. Please indicate on the request form the clinical reason for the blood film or contact the Haematology Microscopy Lab at 051-848885 or Ext. 8885 to discuss.
  • Frequency of analysis/assay: See section above
  • Turnaround Time: Urgent blood films – same day,
  • Phone alert limits: N/A
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp: Blood Films made from the EDTA (FBC) sample should ideally be made on the same day as the blood was taken. Blood Films >24 hours after the sample was taken will have EDTA changes and may be unsuitable for examination.

 

BK Polyomavirus Virus PCR

  • Test Name: BK Polyomavirus Virus
  • Laboratory: Serology External
  • Specimen Type: Clotted blood specimen
  • Specimen Container: Yellow, white (paediatric)
  • Specimen Volume: 2.5mls, (1.5ml paediatric)
  • Specimen Requirements: Refrigerate if delivery to laboratory is delayed
  • Other Details: N/A
  • Frequency of analysis/assay: Referred to external site
  • Turnaround Time: 7.10 days
  • Phone alert limits: First positive test result phoned to the requesting clinician
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp: To be received in the Serology Laboratory on the day of collection- requires freezing at -20°C.

 

Blood Gas Analysis

  • Contact UHWNPT@hse.ie or 8372 for training and access
  • Laboratory: 12 GEM5000s in critical wards + 2 iSTATs. Governed by Near Patient Testing/Point of Care Department.
  • Specimen Type: Arterial/Venous/Capillary blood: Pre heparinised blood gas syringe, 1ml or 3ml. And pre-heparinised capillary 65ul or 300ul.
  • Order of draw: After the chemistry LH sample
  • Specimen Container: Syringe or capillary for neonates
  • Specimen Volume: 1mls (minimum volume 0.3ml). Capillary 65 or 150ul.
  • Specimen Requirements: Expel all air bubbles. Mix 5 times to anticoagulate the blood. Bring sample immediately to blood gas analyser. Do not put on ice.
  • Other details: Needle must not be left on the syringe. Specimen must be labelled. Correct patient details to be entered on analyser.
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay: N/A
  • Turnaround Time: <2min
  • Phone alert limits: N/A
  • Pre analytical stability at room temp: 30 mins but ideally measure within 5 mins ( for lactate especially). If delays occur over 30 mins- redraw required.
  • CO-Oximetry (tHb, COHb, MetHb, O2Hb, HHb, and sO2) evaluates the ability of the blood to carry oxygen by measuring total hemoglobin and determining the percentage of functional and dysfunctional haemoglobin species. For patients in UHW sample requirements are the same as for blood gas analysis.

 

Blood Group & DCT - Cord Blood 

  • Test Name: Blood Group & DCT - Cord Blood Samples
  • Laboratory: Blood Transusion
  • Specimen Type: EDTA
  • Specimen Container: Pink
  • Specimen Volume: 6ml
  • Specimen Requirements:Please use bottles labelled 'Cord Blood'. Complete this label fully. A maternal sample (EDTA/6ml 'pink'/request
  • Other details: Routine test on Rh.Neg females at delivery. Required on all females with irregular antibodies. Turnaround times may be significantly increased if Maternal plasma contains complex Irregular Antibodies
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay: Routine: Daily Urgent: Consult laboratory
  • Turnaround Time: Routine: 1 working day Urgent: <4 hours
  • Phone alert limits:
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp:

 

BNP

  • Test Name: NTproBNP
  • Laboratory: Biochemistry
  • Specimen Type: Serum, plasma
  • Specimen Container: Yellow for GP, green for UHW in house samples only.
  • Specimen Volume: 4mls
  • Specimen Requirements: N/A
  • Other details:
    • NT-ProBNP above 400 pg/ml indicates need for referral to cardiology to out rule heart failure ( recommended by NICE)
    • For instruction on referral of patients for NTproBNP testing please refer to this FAQ document for further information 
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay: Daily
  • Turnaround Time: Routine - 3 working day
  • Phone alert limits: None
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp:

 

Bone Marrow Aspirate (BMA)

  • Test Name: Bone Marrow Aspirate (BMA)
  • Laboratory: Haematology
  • Specimen Type: BMA Slide
  • Specimen Container: Not applicable
  • Specimen Volume: Not applicable
  • Specimen Requirements: Each slide should be labelled clearly with patient ID
  • Other details: Requested via the Haematology medical team only. Clinical details and the name of the consultant haematologist responsible for the patient must be provided.
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay: As required.
  • Turnaround Time: 2 weeks
  • Phone alert limits: N/A
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp: Send to the lab ASAP

 

Bone Marrow Aspirate (For Cytogenetics) 

  • Test Name: Bone Marrow Aspirate (For Cytogenetics)
  • Laboratory: Haematology referral test
  • Specimen Type: BMA in heparinised RPMI
  • Specimen Container: Universal container with added heparinised RPMI
  • Specimen Volume: 1.5 - 2ml BMA
  • Specimen Requirements: 
  • Other details: Requested via the Haematology medical team only. A fully completed OLCH Crumlin Haematology/Oncology Cytogenetic Analysis request form must accompany the sample. A copy of the request form can be obtained from UHW Q-Pulse.
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay: As required. If possible, avoid taking samples on Fridays.
  • Turnaround Time: 2 weeks
  • Phone alert limits: N/A
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp: Send to the Haematology Lab ASAP.

 

Bone Profile 

  • Test Name: Bone Profile (Calcium, Phos, Albumin and Alk Phos)
  • Laboratory: Biochemistry
  • Specimen Type: Serum/Plasma
  • Specimen Container: Yellow (Green for WRH in house samples only)
  • Specimen Volume: 4mls
  • Specimen Requirements: N/A
  • Other details: N/A
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay: Daily
  • Turnaround Time: Routine - 2 working day Urgent <3 hours
  • Phone alert limits:
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp:

  

Bordatella pertussis see Whooping cough / Pertussis

  

Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies - see Lyme serology

  

Bronchiolitis see Respiratory Syncitial Virus (RSV)

  

Brucella 

  • Test Name: Brucella
  • Laboratory: Serology External
  • Specimen Type: Clotted Blood Specimen
  • Specimen Container: Yellow, white (paediatric).
  • Specimen Volume: 4ml clotted blood (1.5ml paediatric).
  • Specimen Requirements: Refrigerate if delivery to the laboratory is delayed
  • Other details: Please provide relevant clinical details.
  • Frequency of analysis/ assay: Referred to external test site
  • Turnaround Time: 28 days
  • Phone alert limits:N/A
  • Preanalytical stability at room temp: N/A

 

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