Before a biopsy, ask about the tissue
Some future tests depend on how the sample is handled. Have this conversation before the procedure.
I learned about preservation after my biopsies. By then, some tests I wanted no longer had the sample they needed. The useful lesson is to plan early, not to tell everyone to freeze everything.
1. Tell the team what you may need
Ask the surgeon or proceduralist, pathology team and receiving lab to coordinate. Start with:
After the tissue needed for diagnosis and planned care is secured, is there enough to preserve for the additional testing we are considering? What format does that lab require?
The answer may be no. A small biopsy has a limited amount of material, and safe diagnosis comes first.
2. Match the format to the test
| Format | What to understand |
|---|---|
| Fixed tissue, often called FFPE | Commonly used for pathology and many molecular tests. It is still valuable. |
| Fresh or cryopreserved live cells | Some drug-response tests and research workflows need viable cells. |
| Flash-frozen tissue | Some molecular analyses use frozen material; it is not the same as keeping cells alive. |
Different labs have different requirements. Do not improvise the container, temperature or shipping process yourself.
3. Get the logistics settled
- Which lab receives the sample, and who orders the work?
- Who supplies the kit and written handling instructions?
- Who owns each handoff, including shipping and arrival confirmation?
- How much tissue will each test consume, and what remains afterward?
- What are the collection, storage, testing and release fees?
Kernis coordinates preservation. Travera tests live cells. Valius and Inocras describe testing that can use fixed samples. Their requirements are not interchangeable.
Already had the biopsy?
Ask pathology what blocks, slides, fluids or frozen material still exist and which outside labs can use them. Get the specimen identifier and release process. “Not frozen” does not mean “useless.”
