Timing, specimen options and instructions reflect the source snapshot.
FROM COLLECTION TO THE LAB
Specimen & handling
Specimen
Serum
Container
Serum Separator Tube (SST) – 0.5 ml serum.
Required volume
Serum Separator Tube (SST) – 0.5 ml serum.
Preparation
None required.
Collection instructions
Serum Separator Tube (SST) – 0.5 ml serum.
Processing
Specimens for PSA testing should be drawn prior to such prostatic manipulations as digital rectal exam (DRE), prostatic massage, transrectal ultrasound (TRUS), and prostatic biopsy. Allow blood samples to clot (15 mins). Separate the serum from the cells by centrifuging for 10 minutes. Specimens should be processed (centrifuged) and refrigerated at 2-8°C within 3 hours of blood draw.
Storage
Refrigerated.
Stability
Serum samples are stable for 24 hours stored at 2-8 °C. Specimens held for longer times (up to 5 months) should be frozen at -20°C or colder. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles have no effect on PSA Free. However, prompt refreezing of the thawed samples is recommended. At ACCU: Frozen: 1 week.
Rejection criteria
1. Any sample that is mislabeled 2. Any sample without a test request 3. Any broken or damaged tubes 4. Plasma samples.
Technical information & codes+
Methodology
Two-site immunoenzymatic (“sandwich”) assay.
CPT code
84154
Codes are shown for identification from the source snapshot. Confirm current coding and billing information with the laboratory.
