Cytogenetics Website
Frequently asked questions
How long will it take to get a result?
Transportation requirements for all specimens?
What should be done with a sample taken late in the day?
What on-call cover is provided?
What bank-holiday cover is provided?
Why do I have to provide the patient’s address/postcode?
How much blood is required for cytogenetics?
How much blood is required for a breakage syndrome?
What number do I need to ring to get a DNA result?
What information about a patients genotype will karyotyping provide?
What is the smallest size of genetic change that G-banding can detect?
What additional tests are available?
What packaging is required for samples?
How should urgent samples be sent to the laboratory?
What FISH tests are provided?
What do I do with a tissue sample when I have no tissue transport medium?
What tube should I use to collect blood in?
Help! I don’t have a Cytogenetics request card.
Can I send paraffin sections?
What times are covered at weekends?
How long will a result take?
I am a patient, can I have my result?
The patient has just had a transfusion, when can I take blood for cytogenetic analysis?
Is old transport medium ok for marrows, tissues and tumours?
Can the laboratory send material to Porton Down?
What are the criteria for sub-telomeric screening?
Which cases are being screened by array-CGH?
How long do the laboratory store samples for?
Can we FISH frozen sections?
Can H&E stained slides be FISHed?
What are the success rates?
Can we send a sample that has been in our fridge for 5 days?