Browsing Tag

Obstetrics & Gynecology

Dearborn, Farmington Hills, Grosse Pointe, Royal Oak, Southeast Michigan, Taylor, Trenton, Troy, Wayne

Body Fluid Culture – Specimen Collection Update

Effective June 1, 2026, Corewell Health Microbiology Laboratory in Southeast Michigan is updating specimen collection criteria for body fluid specimens. Microbiology will no longer accept red top vacutainer tubes as a collection device for body fluids (i.e. synovial fluid, pleural fluid, peritoneal fluid, etc). Collection criteria information has been updated in Corewell’s Lab Test Directory to reflect this change. Test order for body fluid cultures is LAB2111016 (aerobic culture) and commonly accompanied by LAB233 (anaerobic culture). Continue Reading

May 22, 2026 by
Southwest Michigan, West Michigan

Testosterone Testing and Ordering Recommendations

Effective March 4, 2026, Corewell Health Laboratories in West Michigan will discontinue performing testosterone testing (LAB173 and LAB2111222) and Corewell Health Southwest Michigan will discontinue Testosterone Free and Total testing (LAB173)

The following replacements will be available as a send out to Quest Diagnostics:

⇒Testosterone, Total, MS – Epic Code: LAB1232313

⇒Testosterone, Free, Bioavailable and Total, MS – Epic Code: LAB1232237 Continue Reading

February 23, 2026 by
General Information

Test Update: Vitamin D Testing Via Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LAB1230925)

Corewell Health Laboratories has discontinued routine Vitamin D testing via Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LAB1230925). The new test for diagnosing Vitamin D insufficiency and monitoring therapy is Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy (LAB1231583), performed daily using an in-house immunoassay method.

Vitamin D screening for deficiency/insufficiency will now be conducted via immunoassay. Current requests for Vitamin D2/D3 by Mass Spectrometry will be sent out.

For any questions or concerns, please contact the Corewell Health West Laboratory.

 

TEST INFORMATION

Discontinue: LAB1230925 25-Hydroxyvitamin D2 and D3, Serum

Replacement: LAB1231583 Vitamin D 25 Hydroxy

June 27, 2025 by
Chemistry

βhCG Preliminary Results

Effective June 4, 2025, Corewell Health Laboratories will include a preliminary result of >10000 mIU/mL for Beta Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG + β) (LAB142) specimens that require dilution. The preliminary result will provide a quick insight on the status of the βhCG quantification analysis. It is important to remember that these results are not definitive, therefore final interpretation should be made alongside the fully validated results.

Continue Reading

June 2, 2025 by
Compliance & Safety

Anti-TPO Assay Falsely Elevated Recovery

A reagent bulletin from Roche has informed us that the recovery of the Anti-TPO assay has been falsely elevated for a reagent lot that was in use at Corewell Health Grand Rapids from September 2024 until March, 3, 2025. Based on the product evaluation, and in conjunction with a product and safety risk assessment, the remaining risk of false positive results with the Elecsys Anti-TPO assay is in the acceptable range.

We apologize for the inconvenience. Please reach out with any concerns or questions.

Best,

Dr. Alvarez
Yasel Alvarez, Ph.D.
Clinical Chemistry and Immunology
Corewell Health Reference Laboratory, West Michigan

Test Information

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody, Blood Level [LAB516]

Clinical Implications

The risk of false positive results with the Elecsys anti-TPO assay is generally acceptable with respect to the given discrepancy.

Resources

Roche Customer Bulletin TP-02316

March 7, 2025 by
Advanced Technology Laboratory

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Testing Update

Corewell Health South and Corewell Health West Laboratories 

Effective Date: February 3, 2025 

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Genotypic testing will be updated to expand acceptable sources and collection methods. The following HPV test will be available, and the corresponding testing algorithm will be driven by the clinician specified specimen source and collection method/device.  

New Test: Self-Collect HPV High-Risk Screen with HPV Genotype Reflex (LAB1231853)  

  • Testing Restricted to HPV only –Co-testing Not Available: PAP or STI (CT, NG, TV)  
  • Detection of 14 HR HPV genotypes:  
    • HPV Genotype 16  
    • HPV Genotype 18
    • Other HR  HPV – includes 31,33,35,39,45,51,52,56,58,59,66,68  
  • Collection Information:  
    • Acceptable Source: Patient Self-collected vaginal  
    • Collection Device: Rovers® Evalyn® Brush  (ITM-1303902)
    • Collection Instructions: Patients must use the Evalyn Brush in a healthcare setting (i.e. physician office or clinic) to self-collect a vaginal specimen following the Evalyn Brush collection instructions. (Spanish instructions) 
    • A trained healthcare staff member must immediately suspend the Evalyn Brush into a vial of ThinPrep PreservCyt solution following transport instructions. The ThinPrep PreservCyt vial can then be transported to the lab at 2 to 30°C.  
    • This may not be collected at home or in an outpatient draw site. 

Corewell Health Southwest: Effective February 3, 2025, PAP and HPV results will once again be bundled for all orders placed from that date onward. 

Continue Reading

January 28, 2025 by
General Information, Hemostasis/Coagulation

Reference Range Updates Coagulation Laboratory

Effective December 2, 2024 at 08:00 AM, Corewell Health West Laboratory Coagulation Department will be updating the reference range for several assays. The following will be impacted by these changes:

APTT testing for the BCS XP analyzers will be updating to 22.0 – 27.0 seconds.

This will include the following tests:

Effective December 2, 2024 at 08:00 AM, the Corewell Health West and South Coagulation Departments will be updating the reference range of the Fibrinogen Level (LAB 314) to 190-450 mg/ dL.

Questions may be directed to the Coagulation Laboratory using the Contact Us link above.

November 27, 2024 by
Cytology, General Information

Update to PAP-HPV Reflexing Algorithm

The algorithm that reflexes HPV testing off the PAP Test (LAB1230097) when the “HPV Reflex” option is selected during PAP ordering will no longer include pregnancy status as a criterion for reflexing on LSIL patients. Prior to this update, if HPV Reflex was selected, a PAP Diagnosis of LSIL on patients 25 and older would only reflex HPV testing if the patient was non-pregnant. Starting 11/6/2024, if HPV Reflex was selected, a PAP Diagnosis of LSIL on patients 25 and older will reflex HPV testing regardless of pregnancy status. This update aligns with current ASCCP Risk-Based Management Consensus guidelines.

November 7, 2024 by