PREFERRED: After collection, breast cyst fluid should be transferred to a sterile sage container or specimen tube. Label the specimen container with appropriate patient identifiers and indicate the specimen source (i.e. Lt. Breast, 12 o'clock). Fix specimen immediately with 30 mL of Cytolyt or an equal volume of 50% ethyl alcohol before sending to the lab.
ALTERNATE: After collection, send entire fresh specimen to lab. Lab personnel must fix specimen within 2 hrs. of collection by adding 30 mL of Cytolyt.