1 mL body fluid in a plastic vial or tube. Also acceptable: Smaller volumes of direct collection or swabs from which fluid can be expressed.
Handling:
Identify specimen source and refrigerate.
Stability:
3 hours ambient or 8 days refrigerated at 2-8o C.
Standard Volume:
1 mL body fluid.
Minimum Volume:
0.5 mL body fluid.
Transport:
Refrigerated.
Comments:
Total protein is determined prior to immunofixation. Reliable results are best obtained with adequate specimen volume. A total protein may not be able to be performed if specimen is less than minimum volume.