---
type: "resource"
title: "Specimen"
resource: "Specimen"
---
# Specimen
## Introduction
## Scope and Usage
Any material sample:
- taken from a biological entity, living or dead
- taken from a physical object or the environment
Some specimens are biological and can contain one or more components including but not limited to cellular molecules, cells, tissues, organs, body fluids, embryos, and body excretory products (source: [NCI Thesaurus](http://ncit.nci.nih.gov/), modified).
The specimen resource covers substances used for diagnostic and environmental testing. The focus of the specimen resource is the process for gathering, maintaining and processing the specimen as well as where the specimen originated. This is distinct from the use of Substance which is only used when these other aspects are not relevant.
## Background and Context
The current definition of the specimen resource contains only basic information about specimen containers. It does not address the recursive nature of containers or the tracking of the location of a container within its parent container (for instance: a tube in a tray in a rack in a freezer). The frequency with which these elements are tracked may depend on the context of use; general lab, bio-banking, etc. Comments from reviewers on the appropriate scope for this resource, and the need for tracking related specimen management attributes, are welcomed.
## Notes
## Notes:
### Specimen Grouping
Specimens can be grouped at the Observation level via two ways:
- A group at Observation.specimen with a reference to a group
- By creating a group of specimens independent of observations
Additionally, a parent specimen can have multiple child specimens.
### Specimen Searching
Specimens can be searched by parent, as described [here](specimen-search). Additionally, a recursive, child-based search could be performed, using the instructions [here](search#has). Note that recursive or reverse searching is highly dependent on the configuration of the local system(s) involved.
## StructureDefinition
### Elements (Simplified)
- **[Specimen](/specimen-definitions#Specimen)** [0..*]: - Sample for analysis
- **[Specimen.identifier](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.identifier)** [0..*]: [Identifier](/Identifier) Primary specimen identifier
- **[Specimen.status](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.status)** [0..1]: [code](/code) required:[specimen-status](/valueset-specimen-status) available | unavailable | unsatisfactory | entered-in-error
- **[Specimen.type](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.type)** [0..1]: [CodeableConcept](/CodeableConcept) example:[v2-0487](/valueset-v2-0487) Kind of material that forms the specimen
- **[Specimen.subject](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.subject)** [0..1]: [Reference(Patient](/Reference(Patient), [Group](/Group), [Device](/Device), [BiologicallyDerivedProduct](/BiologicallyDerivedProduct), [Substance](/Substance), [Location](/Location), [NutritionProduct)](/NutritionProduct)) Where the specimen came from. This may be from patient(s), from a location (e.g., the source of an environmental sample), or a sampling of a substance, a biologically-derived product, or a device
- **[Specimen.receivedTime](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.receivedTime)** [0..1]: [dateTime](/dateTime) The time when specimen is received by the testing laboratory
- **[Specimen.parent](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.parent)** [0..*]: Reference([Specimen](/Specimen)) Specimen from which this specimen originated
- **[Specimen.request](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.request)** [0..*]: Reference([ServiceRequest](/ServiceRequest)) Why the specimen was collected
- **[Specimen.combined](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.combined)** [0..1]: [code](/code) required:[specimen-combined](/valueset-specimen-combined) grouped | pooled
- **[Specimen.role](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.role)** [0..*]: [CodeableConcept](/CodeableConcept) preferred:[specimen-role](/valueset-specimen-role) The role the specimen serves
- **[Specimen.feature](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.feature)** [0..*]: [BackboneElement](/BackboneElement) The physical feature of a specimen
- **[Specimen.feature.type](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.feature.type)** [1..1]: [CodeableConcept](/CodeableConcept) example:[body-site](/valueset-body-site) Highlighted feature
- **[Specimen.feature.description](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.feature.description)** [1..1]: [string](/string) Information about the feature
- **[Specimen.collection](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.collection)** [0..1]: [BackboneElement](/BackboneElement) Collection details
- **[Specimen.collection.collector](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.collection.collector)** [0..1]: [Reference(Organization](/Reference(Organization), [Practitioner](/Practitioner), [PractitionerRole](/PractitionerRole), [Patient](/Patient), [RelatedPerson)](/RelatedPerson)) Who collected the specimen
- **[Specimen.collection.collected[x]](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.collection.collected%5Bx%5D)** [0..1]: [dateTime](/dateTime), [Period](/Period) Collection time
- **[Specimen.collection.duration](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.collection.duration)** [0..1]: [Duration](/Duration) How long it took to collect specimen
- **[Specimen.collection.quantity](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.collection.quantity)** [0..1]: [Quantity](/Quantity)([SimpleQuantity](/SimpleQuantity)) The quantity of specimen collected
- **[Specimen.collection.method](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.collection.method)** [0..1]: [CodeableConcept](/CodeableConcept) example:[specimen-collection-method](/valueset-specimen-collection-method) Technique used to perform collection
- **[Specimen.collection.device[x]](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.collection.device%5Bx%5D)** [0..1]: [CodeableConcept](/CodeableConcept), Reference([Device](/Device)), [canonical](/canonical) example:[specimen-container-type](/valueset-specimen-container-type) Device used to perform collection
- **[Specimen.collection.procedure](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.collection.procedure)** [0..1]: Reference([Procedure](/Procedure)) The procedure that collects the specimen
- **[Specimen.collection.bodySite](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.collection.bodySite)** [0..1]: [CodeableReference](/CodeableReference) example:[body-site](/valueset-body-site) Anatomical collection site
- **[Specimen.collection.fastingStatus[x]](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.collection.fastingStatus%5Bx%5D)** [0..1]: [CodeableConcept](/CodeableConcept), [Duration](/Duration) extensible:[v2-0916](/valueset-v2-0916) Whether or how long patient abstained from food and/or drink
- **[Specimen.processing](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.processing)** [0..*]: [BackboneElement](/BackboneElement) Processing and processing step details
- **[Specimen.processing.description](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.processing.description)** [0..1]: [string](/string) Textual description of procedure
- **[Specimen.processing.method](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.processing.method)** [0..1]: [CodeableConcept](/CodeableConcept) example:[specimen-processing-method](/valueset-specimen-processing-method) Indicates the treatment step applied to the specimen
- **[Specimen.processing.performer](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.processing.performer)** [0..1]: [Reference(Practitioner](/Reference(Practitioner), [PractitionerRole](/PractitionerRole), [Patient](/Patient), [RelatedPerson)](/RelatedPerson)) Entity processing specimen
- **[Specimen.processing.device[x]](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.processing.device%5Bx%5D)** [0..1]: [CodeableConcept](/CodeableConcept), Reference([Device](/Device)), [canonical](/canonical) example:[processingdevice-code](/valueset-processingdevice-code) Device used to process the specimen
- **[Specimen.processing.additive](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.processing.additive)** [0..*]: [CodeableReference](/CodeableReference) Material used in the processing step
- **[Specimen.processing.time[x]](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.processing.time%5Bx%5D)** [0..1]: [dateTime](/dateTime), [Period](/Period), [Duration](/Duration) Date and time of specimen processing
- **[Specimen.container](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.container)** [0..*]: [BackboneElement](/BackboneElement) Direct container of specimen (tube/slide, etc.)
- **[Specimen.container.device[x]](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.container.device%5Bx%5D)** [1..1]: [CodeableConcept](/CodeableConcept), Reference([Device](/Device)), [canonical](/canonical) example:[containerdevice-code](/valueset-containerdevice-code) Device resource for the container
- **[Specimen.container.specimenQuantity](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.container.specimenQuantity)** [0..1]: [Quantity](/Quantity)([SimpleQuantity](/SimpleQuantity)) Quantity of specimen within container
- **[Specimen.condition](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.condition)** [0..*]: [CodeableConcept](/CodeableConcept) example:[v2-0493](/valueset-v2-0493) State of the specimen
- **[Specimen.note](/specimen-definitions#Specimen.note)** [0..*]: [Annotation](/Annotation) Comments
## Mappings
- [Specimen Mappings](/specimen-mappings) — 60 mapping entries
## Implementation Guide
### implementationguide-Specimen-core.xml
```xml
```
## Resource Packs
### list-Specimen-packs.xml
```xml
-
```
## Search Parameters
- [bodysite](/specimen-search#bodysite) — **reference** — Reference to a resource (by instance) — `Specimen.collection.bodySite.reference`
- [collected](/specimen-search#collected) — **date** — The date the specimen was collected — `Specimen.collection.collected.ofType(dateTime) | Specimen.collection.collected.ofType(Period)`
- [collector](/specimen-search#collector) — **reference** — Who collected the specimen — `Specimen.collection.collector`
- [procedure](/specimen-search#procedure) — **reference** — The procedure that collected the specimen — `Specimen.collection.procedure`
- [container-device-code](/specimen-search#container-device-code) — **token** — The code associated with the specimen container — `Specimen.container.device.ofType(CodeableConcept)`
- [identifier](/specimen-search#identifier) — **token** — The unique identifier associated with the specimen — `Specimen.identifier`
- [parent](/specimen-search#parent) — **reference** — The parent of the specimen — `Specimen.parent`
- [patient](/specimen-search#patient) — **reference** — The patient the specimen comes from — `Specimen.subject.where(resolve() is Patient)`
- [status](/specimen-search#status) — **token** — available | unavailable | unsatisfactory | entered-in-error — `Specimen.status`
- [subject](/specimen-search#subject) — **reference** — The subject of the specimen — `Specimen.subject`
- [type](/specimen-search#type) — **token** — The specimen type — `Specimen.type`
- [request](/specimen-search#request) — **reference** — The request/order associated with the specimen — `Specimen.request`
- [processing-device-code](/specimen-search#processing-device-code) — **token** — The code associated with the processing device — `Specimen.processing.device.ofType(CodeableConcept)`
- [collection-device-code](/specimen-search#collection-device-code) — **token** — The code associated with the collection device — `Specimen.collection.device.ofType(CodeableConcept)`
[Full Search Parameters](/specimen-search)
## Examples
- [101](/specimen-example-101) — specimen-example — General Specimen Example
- [isolate](/specimen-example-isolate) — specimen-example-isolate — Bacterial Isolate from Stool sample
- [liver-biopsy](/specimen-example-liver-biopsy) — specimen-example-liver-biopsy — Liver biopsy specimen
- [pooled-serum](/specimen-example-pooled-serum) — specimen-example-pooled-serum — Pooled serum sample
- [specimen-example](/specimen-example-specimen-example) — specimen-example
- [specimen-example-isolate](/specimen-example-specimen-example-isolate) — specimen-example-isolate
- [specimen-example-liver-biopsy](/specimen-example-specimen-example-liver-biopsy) — specimen-example-liver-biopsy
- [specimen-example-pooled-serum](/specimen-example-specimen-example-pooled-serum) — specimen-example-pooled-serum
- [specimen-example-serum](/specimen-example-specimen-example-serum) — specimen-example-serum
- [specimen-example-serum-control](/specimen-example-specimen-example-serum-control) — specimen-example-serum-control
- [specimen-example-urine](/specimen-example-specimen-example-urine) — specimen-example-urine
- [specimen-examples-header](/specimen-example-specimen-examples-header) — specimen-examples-header
- [sst](/specimen-example-sst) — specimen-example-serum — Serum Sample
- [vma-urine](/specimen-example-vma-urine) — specimen-example-urine — VMA, Random Urine Sample
[Full Examples](/specimen-examples)
## Mapping Exceptions
### specimen-fivews-mapping-exceptions.xml
### Unmapped Elements
- **FiveWs.recorded** — Unknown
- **FiveWs.author** — Unknown
- **FiveWs.cause** — Unknown
- **FiveWs.version** — Unknown
- **FiveWs.witness** — Unknown
- **FiveWs.class** — Unknown
- **FiveWs.where** — Unknown
- **FiveWs.context** — Unknown
- **FiveWs.source** — Unknown
- **FiveWs.who** — Unknown
- **FiveWs.grade** — Unknown
- **FiveWs.planned** — Unknown