Laboratory Medicine Division

Bile Acids (Bronchial Washings)

Specimen Collection

Collect bronchial washings in a screw-top polypropylene tube.

Minimum volume required: 250 µL

Test Tubes
 

Labeled polypropylene screw-top tube containing clear, colorless specimen.

Unacceptable Specimens

Specimens will be rejected if any of the following criteria are met:

  • Insufficient volume
  • Specimens that are not colorless and clear, including:
    • Bloody specimens (light to dark red)
    • Lipemic specimens (milky appearance)
    • Icteric specimens (yellow discoloration due to bilirubin)

Storage and Transport

Within NYPH-CUIMC: Transport specimens at room temperature.

From outside institutions: Ship specimens refrigerated with cold packs or frozen with ice packs or dry ice, as appropriate.

Specimen Stability

Stable for at least 5 days at room temperature or refrigerated at 4–8 °C.

Stable for at least 8 months when frozen at −20 °C or −80 °C.

Test Information

Methodology: Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)

Laboratory: CUIMC Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Laboratory

New York DOH Approval Status: This test is New York State approved

Reference Intervals (nmol/L)

TCA: < 1.0

GCA: < 1.0

TCDCA: < 1.0

TDCA: < 1.0

GCDCA: < 1.0

GDCA: < 1.0

Sum of measured bile acids: < 1.0

Additional Information

Panel components: None

Add-on testing to a previous specimen: Not permitted

Forms

Bronchial Washing Conjugated Bile Acids (CBAs) Test Requisition