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Test Code BILAO Biliary Tract Malignancy, FISH, Varies


Specimen Required


Supplies: PreservCyt Vial (T536)

Specimen Type: Bile duct brushing, bile duct aspirate, hepatobiliary brushing, or hepatobiliary aspirate (fine-needle aspiration is not acceptable)

Container/Tube: Separate ThinPrep vial, containing 20 mL PreservCyt or CytoLyt solution for each specimen

Specimen Volume: Entire collection

Collection Instructions:

1. If performing local cytology in addition to fluorescence in situ hybridization testing, aliquot half of the specimen into another ThinPrep vial before processing the specimen.

2. Submission of residual specimen (after processing other testing) may compromise the sensitivity of the test.

3. Label each specimen with specific source (eg, right hepatic duct or common bile duct).


Reflex Tests

Test ID Reporting Name Available Separately Always Performed
BILOB Biliary Tract Malignancy, FISH No No
BILOC Biliary Tract Malignancy, FISH No No
BILOD Biliary Tract Malignancy, FISH No No
BILOE Biliary Tract Malignancy, FISH No No
BILOF Biliary Tract Malignancy, FISH No No

Testing Algorithm

When this test is ordered, fluorescence in situ hybridization testing will be performed. When additional specimens are received, the laboratory will add BILOB to the second specimen, BILOC to the third specimen, and so on.

Method Name

Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH)

Specimen Type

Varies

Specimen Minimum Volume

See Specimen Required

Specimen Stability Information

Specimen Type Temperature Time
Varies Refrigerated (preferred)
  Ambient 

Reject Due To

Pancreatic mass
Pancreatic cyst
Pancreatic fine-needle aspiration (FNA)  
Reject

Clinical Information

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is used to examine patients with biliary tract obstruction or stricture for possible malignancy. Biopsies and cytologic specimens are obtained at the time of ERCP. Cytologic analysis complements biopsy by sometimes detecting malignancy in patients with a negative biopsy. Nonetheless, a number of studies suggest that the overall sensitivity of bile duct brushing and bile aspirate cytology is quite low.

 

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a technique that utilizes fluorescently-labeled DNA probes to examine cells for chromosomal alterations. FISH can be used to detect cells with chromosomal changes (eg, aneuploidy) that are indicative of malignancy. Studies in our laboratory indicate that the sensitivity of FISH to detect malignant cells in biliary brush specimens is superior to that of conventional cytology.

Reference Values

No abnormality detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization

Day(s) Performed

Monday through Friday

Report Available

7 to 10 days

Performing Laboratory

Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester

CPT Code Information

88377