Specimen Requirements
- Click on the tabs below for more technical information on Quantity, Stability, Excluded Tests, Shipping and Handling
- In addition, see test catalog for an Information Sheet on each Test/Gene, with requirements and shipping conditions for that test's most typical specimen types, as well as indications, prices and CPT codes.
Blood Collection and Shipping Instructions – Including Cord Blood
| Exceptions: | Blood is accepted for all tests except if the patient has ever received a heterologous bone marrow transplant. |
| Kits: | Standard GeneDx Blood kit available free for US & Canadian clients |
| Volume: | One EDTA (lavender top) tube containing 2-5 mL whole sterile blood. Several tests usually can be performed on one 3 mL blood specimen. 3-5 mL is the preferred volume for adults but 1-2 mL is acceptable for infants. |
| Labeling: | Label with the patient name, date of birth and/or ID. If Cord Blood, state so on both the tube and the paperwork |
| Stability: | Can be refrigerated up to 7 days before shipping. Blood specimens older than 7 days can still be shipped; they will be tested if the yield and quality of DNA permit. This statement supercedes all previous statements of shorter stability conditions for any test. 11-21-07 |
| Rejection: | Blood specimens will be rejected if frozen, hemolyzed or clotted. |
| Shipping: | Ideal handling is to ship immediately at ambient temperature for overnight delivery with arrival Monday-Saturday. Specimens can be refrigerated for 7 days before shipping. In hot weather a cool pack can be enclosed. Shipping costs are generally the responsibility of the sender. GeneDx does not accept responsibility for shipping costs associated with samples sent to us. |
Ship to:
GeneDx
207 Perry Parkway
Gaithersburg MD 20877
Phone: 1-301-519-2100
Buccal Brush Collection and Shipping Instructions
| Exceptions: | Please check test information sheets to see tests for which buccal brushes can be used |
| Kits: | Use only GeneDx buccal brush kits. Click here to order kits (Free for US & Canadian clients) |
| Volume: | Two brushes with transport solution are included in each kit. Several tests usually can be performed on one pair of buccal brushes. |
| Labeling: | Use the provided labels to put the patient name on both transport tubes. |
| Stability: | Stable at ambient temperature for 14 days after collection. Buccal specimens older than 14 days can still be shipped; they will be tested if the yield and quality of DNA permit. |
| Shipping: | Using the mailer provided, return buccal brush specimens to GeneDx by postal service at ambient temperature. Shipping costs are generally the responsibility of the sender. GeneDx does not accept responsibility for shipping costs associated with samples sent to us. |
Ship to:
GeneDx
207 Perry Parkway
Gaithersburg MD 20877
Phone: 1-301-519-2100
DNA Requirements
| Laboratory Technique / Test Type | Minimum concentration | Minimum total amount | Minimum quantity at minimum concentration |
| Conventional DNA Sequencing | 50 ng/µL | 5,000 ng (5 µg) | 100 µL |
| Noonan Syndrome Spectrum Disorder Panel | 50 ng/µL | 6,000 ng (6 µg) | 120 µL |
| XomeDx | 50 ng/µL | 15,000 ng (15 µg) | 300 µL |
| All Cardiology Tests | 50 ng/µL | 12,000 ng (12 µg) | 240 µL |
| Epilepsy Panel / Mito Nuclear Panels | 50 ng/µL | 20,000 ng (20 µg) | 400 µL |
| GenomeDx OligoArray CGH | 50 ng/µL | 3,000 ng (3 µg) | 60 µL |
| FISHonChipDx | 50 ng/µL | 3,000 ng (3 µg) | 60 µL |
| ExonArrayDx | 50 ng/µL | 3,000 ng (3 µg) | 60 µL |
| CopyDx qPCR and/or MLPA | 25 ng/µL | 3,750 ng (3.75 µg) | 150 µL |
| Kit: | Standard GeneDx Blood Kit |
| Labeling: | Name of person or identifier, DNA concentration and volume MUST be provided on the specimen tube. |
| Stability: | Ship DNA in sealed and protective packaging at ambient temperature, using a cool pack in hot weather. |
| Shipping: | An express courier service is recommended for tracking purposes. Shipping costs are generally the responsibility of the sender. GeneDx does not accept responsibility for shipping costs associated with samples sent to us |
Ship to:
GeneDx
207 Perry Parkway
Gaithersburg MD 20877
Phone: 1-301-519-2100
Prenatal/POC Specimen Collection and Shipping Instructions
Please call 301-519-2100 or email prenatal@genedx.com in advance to discuss prenatal cases.
Click here for prenatal specimen requirements.
| Labeling: | Label the tubes with the patient name, date of birth and/or ID. If Cord Blood, state so on both the tube and the paperwork. If the tissue source is Products of Conception (POC) state this clearly and state whether the tissue was fetal or placental in origin. |
| Kits: | Prenatal Amnio and CVS/POC kits are available free for US & Canadian clients |
| Stability: | Cultures must be topped off with sterile medium immediately before shipping. All specimens, including Placental POCs will be tested for maternal cell contamination (MCC). Send a maternal blood or buccal sample for comparison. Other relatives' specimens may be required. If the tissue source is products of conception (POC) state this clearly and state whether the tissue was fetal or placental in origin. Placental POC cultures require maternal cell contamination testing and a maternal blood specimen is required for comparison |
| Shipping: | Ship overnight at ambient temperature, to arrive Monday-Saturday. In hot weather a cool pack can be enclosed. Shipping costs are generally the responsibility of the sender. Shipping costs are generally the responsibility of the sender. GeneDx does not accept responsibility for shipping costs associated with samples sent to us. |
Ship to:
GeneDx
207 Perry Parkway
Gaithersburg MD 20877
Phone: 1-301-519-2100
Other Cultured Adherent Cells* (not Amnio/CVS), Collection and Shipping Instructions
| Volume: | Send 2 T25 flasks near confluence, sterile. Please state the tissue of origin. |
| Stability: | Cultures must be topped off with sterile medium immediately before shipping. Always establish and keep backup cultures but do not send them unless requested to do so by GeneDx. |
| Shipping: | Ship overnight at ambient temperature, to arrive Monday-Saturday. In hot weather a cool pack can be enclosed. Shipping costs are generally the responsibility of the sender. GeneDx does not accept responsibility for shipping costs associated with samples sent to us. |
Ship to:
GeneDx
207 Perry Parkway
Gaithersburg MD 20877
Phone: 1-301-519-2100
* Non-adherent cells such as lymphoid cell lines will be accepted but it is the sender’s responsibility to write “Non-Adherent Cells” with bold marker on the flask and paperwork.
Non-Standard Tissue Types
|
Bone Marrow:
1-3 mL fresh sterile bone marrow in EDTA or Sodium Heparin. The anticoagulant should be clearly stated. BONE MARROW must be clearly indicated on the tube and paperwork. Ideal handling is to ship immediately at ambient temperature for overnight delivery with arrival Monday-Saturday, but specimens can be refrigerated for 4 days before shipping. Specimens will be rejected if frozen, hemolyzed or clotted. Specimens older than 5 days can still be shipped; they will be tested if the yield and quality of DNA permit. Prior approval is not required.
Fresh (Unfixed) Solid Tissue from Biopsy or Autopsy including Fetal Demise:
Call first for approval.
Tissues should be those with a high density of nuclei, such as liver, lymph node, lung or skin. The minimum specimen size is a cube 0.5 cm on each side. Flash-freeze and ship frozen on dry ice for overnight arrival on Monday-Saturday. Specimens must arrive frozen. Isolation of usable DNA is not guaranteed.
Leukocytes Fixed for Cytogenetic Analysis:
NOT RECOMMENDED. Call first for approval.
If approved, mark the tube and paperwork "CAUTION FIXED CELLS". Isolation of usable DNA is not guaranteed. Ship at ambient temperature overnight.
Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Solid Tissue or Cell Pellets:
NOT RECOMMENDED. Call first for approval.
Usually restricted to cases where the patient is deceased. Isolation of usable DNA is not guaranteed. The tissue must be cell-dense with abundant nuclei, e.g. kidney, liver, lung, pancreas, lymph node. The tissue should be a cube measuring 0.5 cm on each side, or the equivalent. Mounted slides are never accepted. If approved, ship or mail at ambient temperature. Specimens cannot be returned.
Shipping costs are generally the responsibility of the sender. GeneDx does not accept responsibility for shipping costs associated with samples sent to us.
Ship to:
GeneDx
207 Perry Parkway
Gaithersburg MD 20877
Phone: 1-301-519-2100
