These guidelines were reviewed and approved by the CAP Executive, November 2005. The guidelines have been developed to encourage good practice and should be considered as minimum requirements. The guidelines are not intended to meet legislative requirements and laboratories should ensure that they comply with all municipal, provincial and federal regulations, including statutes of limitations.
| SURGICAL PATHOLOGY | MINIMUM PERIODS OF RETENTION |
| Wet tissue |
4 weeks after final report |
| Frozen tissue (e.g. renal biopsies) |
Up to 20 years |
| Paraffin blocks |
20 years |
| Slides | 20 years |
| Surgical Consultation |
Indefinitely |
| Paper Requisition |
2 years |
| PEDIATRIC PATHOLOGY |
|
| Wet tissue | 4 weeks after final report |
| Paraffin blocks* | 20 years |
| Slides | 20 years |
| Surgical Consultation | Indefinitely |
| Paper Requisition | 2 years |
| CYTOLOGY (gyne/non gyne) |
|
| Slides (negative-unsatisfactory) | 5 years |
| Slides (suspicious-positive) | 20 years |
| Fine-needle aspiration slides | 20 years |
| Cytology Consultation/Requisition |
Indefinitely |
| Male fertility slides | 1 year |
| Paper requisition | 2 years |
| Cytology paraffin blocks | 20 years |
| AUTOPSY RECORDS | |
| Wet tissue | 3 months after final report |
| Paraffin blocks | 10 years |
| Slides | 10 years |
| Hospital Autopsy Records | Indefinitely |
| Coroner/Medical Examiner | as per general autopsy, or by Autopsy Records discretion of the Coroner's/Medical Office/forensic pathologist |
| EM Material | |
| Blocks, Slides/Grids/Phots (print/electronically digital image files) | 20 years |
* For special pediatric cases (i.e. Children’s Hospitals) 50 years is the recommended minimum retention period for paraffin blocks.