Transfusions & Transplants

Essential Information

Genetics tests are designed to look at the constitutional genetic makeup of a patient by studying DNA or chromosomes from their lymphocytes.

If you send us a blood sample from a patient who has recently had a blood transfusion or has ever had a bone marrow transplant, the result may be compromised because we may be studying the lymphocytes of the donor.

Your patient has recently received a blood transfusion:

Please indicate the date of any recent transfusion on the request form.

If possible, wait at least two weeks before taking a blood sample from a patient who has received a transfusion.

If this is not possible, try to send in the unused portion of the transfusion pack with the patient's sample.

Alternatively, check with your Pathology Laboratories in case they still have a pre-transfusion blood sample stored from your patient.

Sometimes we may ask for a different sample type to confirm our results.

Your patient has had a bone marrow transplant:

Unless the test required is specifically for post-transplant monitoring, we cannot test blood samples from patients who have had a bone marrow transplant.

Please contact the appropriate laboratory for advice.