September 12, 2025

The September Test Bulletin by Alverno Laboratories announced several important testing updates. Urine specimens for catecholamine testing must now be frozen immediately after collection and sent frozen to the Central Laboratory. For aluminum blood testing, discard tubes are no longer required, and serum or plasma must be poured into a metal-free vial since royal blue-top tubes will no longer be accepted. Ordering of the STRATIFY JCV® DxSelect Antibody with Reflex to Inhibition test now requires providers to indicate if the patient is receiving natalizumab therapy. Additionally, Allergen Profile 51 testing now requires three full 7mL gold-top tubes to reduce insufficient specimen rejections, and Quest Diagnostics has discontinued several tests, with replacements available for Anti-PM/Scl-100 Ab and MGMT Promoter Methylation, but no replacement for CEA testing on pancreatic cyst fluid.