Table 1.

Specimen collection and vitreous testing

Specimen	Transport media/	Vitreous fluid	Infusion line	Volume typically collected (ml)	Diagnostic testing
1	3 ml syringe (RPMI or direct transfer)	Undiluted	Air	1.5–2.0	Cytopathology, immunohistochemistry, gene rearrangement studies with microdissection/PCR, cytokine evaluation
2	3 ml syringe (no special media for flow cytometry)	Minimally diluted	Fluid	3.0–4.0	Flow cytometry, microbiology or PCR testing if flow cytometry unavailable or unnecessary
3	Vitreous cassette	Diluted	Fluid	>50	Microbiology

Specimens should be delivered immediately to cytopathology and flow cytometry laboratories.

Specimens sent for PCR should be delivered either immediately or on ice to the microbiology/virology laboratory (depending on preference of processing laboratory).