If a specimen cannot be tested within 1 hour, what should be done with it?

• A. Leave at room temperature.
• B. Warm it to body temperature.
• C. Refrigerate it.
• D. Freeze it solid.

Answer: (C)

When there's a delay before testing, the goal is to keep the specimen stable so the results stay accurate. Many components in a specimen can change quickly at room temperature because enzymes keep working, bacteria can grow, and chemical reactions continue. Cooling slows all of that down, preserving the specimen until analysis can be done. Refrigeration, kept at about 2–8°C, is the standard measure for delays longer than an hour. Warming to body temperature would speed up those changes and potentially spoil the sample. Leaving it at room temperature invites degradation, and freezing is only appropriate for specific tests that require it—otherwise it can damage the specimen. So, refrigerate the specimen to maintain integrity until testing.