Test Details

Mnemonic

MTBNR

Ordering Code

3400041

CPT-4 Code(s)

87556

Specimen Information

Collect

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

Specimen Preparation

Collect 1.0 mL Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) in a sterile screw capped plastic vial.

Alternate Specimen

Gastric lavage (must be neutralized with sodium bicarbonate within 4 hours of collection), pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, pleural fluid, synovial fluid, abscess fluid, urine collected in a sterile, leak-proof container.
Whole blood collected in an EDTA (lavender-top) tube or ACD (yellow-top) tube.
Vitreous eye fluid 0.5 mL (0.2 mL minimum) collected in a sterile, leak-proof container.
Fresh (unfixed) 2 grams tissue collected in a sterile leak-proof container in a small amount of
saline, no fixative or preservative.

Minimum Volume

0.5 mL

Transport Temperature

Refrigerated
Vitreous eye fluid: Frozen.

Rejection Criteria

Tissue collected in fixative or preservative.
Swabs, sputum, specimen received in formalin and/or alcohol.
Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, culture isolates, non-neutralized gastric lavage.

Stability

Room temperature: 48 hours
Refrigerated: 14 days
Frozen: 30 days

Vitreous Fluid
Room temperature: Unacceptable
Refrigerated: Unacceptable
Frozen: 30 days

Methodology

Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
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Reference Range

See report
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Performing Laboratory

Quest
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New York DOH Approval Status

Yes
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