Proper test choice and sample acquisition, preparation, and submission of specimens to a reference laboratory are crucial to making diagnostic decisions to aid in patient care and treatment.

Numerous preanalytic factors such as incorrect labeling of samples, presence of interfering substances, use of incorrect collection tubes for a certain test, sampling the wrong tissue for cytologic evaluation, and samples with low cellularity can all impact data results and interpretation.

Hematologic and cytologic sample quality can also be affected by the ambient storage temperature and the time interval between collection and evaluation. Care should be taken to eliminate or minimize sources of preanalytic errors to ensure high-quality laboratory results. Hematologic data and cytologic results should always be interpreted in light of the clinical history, physical examination findings, and other diagnostic testing such as imaging or histopathology results. If there are questions regarding sample collection, submission, or handling, contact the reference laboratory.

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