Geisinger Medical Laboratories Cytopathology Specimen Collection Instructions

Oral Scrapings

Indications: Detection of and characterization of malignancy and infectious process in the oral cavity.
Specimen Required Direct smear of material collected from the oral mucosa.
Collection Procedure:

Label the slides with the patient's name and place in a container filled with 95% ethyl alcohol so that the slides are completely covered. Gently scrape the area of abnormality. Remove one of the slides from the fixative and quickly and evenly smear the collected material on one of the glass slides. Immediately re-immerse the slide in fixative. Repeat the process with the second slide if necessary for better diagnostic yield. Repeat the process for additional areas if necessary. Submit the specimen and the completed request form to the Cytopathology Laboratory.


Adopted MKurtinecz, 12/04
Reviewed MKurtinecz, TSp 12/04
Reviewed MKurtinecz, TSp 1/06
Reviewed MKurtinecz,TSp 5/07
Reviewed: MKurtinecz, TSp 7/08
Supersedes: CytoCollFeb2001 Manual
Reviewed: MKurtinecz, TSp 8/09