Mycobacteria, Culture, with Fluorochrome Smear
Test code
CPT code(s)*
Test resources
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Details
Includes
Mycobacteria Culture, Acid-Fast Bacilli Stain
An additional charge for Concentration (CPT code(s): 87015) will be added as appropriate.
Identification will be performed at an additional charge for each organism
CPT code(s) 87118: Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight or
CPT code(s) 87153: AFB Sequencing
If TB is isolated for the first time or after three months after the first isolate from a patient, susceptibilities will be performed at an additional charge (CPT code(s): 87190 per drug.
Methodology
Continuous Monitoring Broth Culture System and Conventional Culture • Microscopic Exam with Fluorochrome Stain
Alternative name(s)
Acid Fast Bacilli,AFB (Acid Fast Bacilli),Tuberculosis,TB
Specimen requirements | |
|---|---|
| Patient preparation | None Specified |
| Preferred specimen(s) | 10 mL body fluids or lower respiratory tract specimens or 10 mL gastric lavage or 2 mL CSF or 2 grams fresh (unfixed) tissue or 40 mL urine collected in a sterile leak-proof container or 1 mL exudate, aspirate, lesion material, ocular specimen collected in a sterile leak-proof container or 1 gram or 1 mL stool collected in a sterile leak-proof container See the alphabetical listing in the Microbiology section of Specimen Collection & Transport Guide for further instructions. |
| Alternative specimen(s) | Swabs in Amies liquid, Amies gel swab, Stuarts or ESwab transport systems, ONLY if tissue biopsy or wound aspirate is not available • Samples in anaerobic transport medium, ONLY if it is an irreplaceable sample type • Throat/oral/sputum swabs from cystic-fibrosis patients |
| Minimum volume | 2 mL body fluids or lower respiratory tract specimens • 2 mL gastric lavage • 1 mL CSF • 1 gram fresh (unfixed) tissue • 20 mL urine collected in a sterile leak-proof container • 1 mL exudate, aspirate, lesion material, ocular specimen collected in a sterile leak-proof container • 1 gram or 1 mL stool |
| Collection instructions | Tissue and biopsy material: Sterile leak-proof container with small amount of saline, no fixative or preservative. Gastric lavage fluid: Sterile leak-proof container. Must be neutralized with sodium bicarbonate within 4 hours of collection. Expectorated sputum: Instruct patient to gargle with water and cough deeply. Three separate early morning collections on at least three consecutive days are recommended. |
| Transport container | Refer to Preferred Specimen(s) and Collection Instructions |
| Transport temperature | Refrigerated (cold packs) |
| Specimen stability | Room temperature: Unacceptable Refrigerated: 5 days Frozen: Unacceptable |
| Reject criteria | 24 hour pooled urine or sputum • Dry swabs • Specimens received in alcohol, formalin, EDTA, lithium heparin or conventional blood culture bottles • Throat/oral/sputum swabs from non-cystic-fibrosis patients • Urine specimens in preservative • Specimens received in expired transport • Specimens that leaked during transit • Specimens broken in transit |
Reference ranges are provided as general guidance only. To interpret test results use the reference range in the laboratory report.
*The CPT codes provided are based on AMA guidance and are for informational purposes only. CPT coding is the sole responsibility of the billing party. Please direct any questions regarding coding to the payer being billed.
This material contains content from LOINC® (http://loinc.org). The LOINC Table, LOINC Table Core are copyright © 1995-2019, Regenstrief Institute, Inc. and the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) Committee and is available at no cost under the license at http://loinc.org/license.
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