Specimen Requirements

Specimen Type: Bicep, tricep, or vastus lateralis muscle tissue

Container/Tube: Sterile container

Specimen Volume: Approximate 1 cm x 0.5 cm

Collection Instructions:

1. Collect muscle tissue typically from the bicep, with minimal trauma.

2. When selecting a biopsy site, look for an area that is definitely affected, but not so severely as to be replaced by fatty or fibrous connective tissue. Also, the involved muscle should not be one that has been traumatized by injections or by electromyographic studies.
Additional Information:

1. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, physician’s name, and type of specimen.

2. Deliver specimen to SMDC Clinical Laboratory Specimen Processing.

Forms: Muscular Dystrophy Biopsy Requisition and Surgical Pathology Requisition including any pertinent studies, such as creatine kinase and electromyographic studies, the clinical diagnosis, name of muscle, date of biopsy, and brief clinical history.

See Special Instructions for a copy of the forms.