Pathological diagnostics services

Dead whole animals can be delivered for pathological examinations at the pathology unit of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine through Posti or delivery companies, or personally to Building EE on Viikki Campus. The pathology unit observes the same shipment procedure as the Finnish Food Authority. Delivery costs are paid by the sender.

If you use services provided by Posti or delivery companies, please notify the pathology unit about your shipment by calling 050 528 1001.

Packages weighing up to 25 kg can be sent using Posti’s service for delivery at the recipient’s door as agreed, which can be purchased in advance on Posti’s website or at Posti Service Points. Posti website

Parcels can be delivered on weekdays from 8.00 to 16.00. Parcels must always be brought to a Posti Service Point, not left at a Posti Parcel Point. 

Businesses can send specimens as Express parcels (posti.fi/en/for-businesses).

Specimens must be sent as parcels from Posti Service Points between Monday and Wednesday. This prevents their remaining at Posti facilities over the weekend. If you are unable to send your parcel no earlier than a Wednesday, please call the pathology unit and ask for further instructions.

Delivery companies transport dead animals weighing up to 500 kg.
Delivery companies on the Finnish Food Authority website (in Finnish only)  

Parcels must be appropriately packed and labelled for transport by Posti or delivery companies. Specimens of animal origin that are very unlikely to contain pathogens are not subject to the regulations on the transport of dangerous goods if correctly packed and labelled with ‘Eläinperäinen näyte – vapautettu’ (‘Specimen of animal origin – exempted’). Infectious whole animals or whole animals with the UN3373 classification cannot be sent through delivery companies. Packing and labelling of animal specimens on the Finnish Food Authority website (in Finnish only)

Delivery address

Eläinlääket. tiedekunta/Patologia
OBDUKTIOSALI
Mustialankatu 1
00790 HELSINKI

Phone number to be indicated in the shipment details: 050 528 1001

Packing instructions

The Finnish Food Authority website offers useful visual instructions (in Finnish only).

1. Refrigerate the animal, but do not freeze it.  
2. Wrap the animal in a newspaper. 
3. Put the newspaper wrapping in a plastic bag and tie the mouth of the bag tightly.  
4. Put the packaging in another plastic bag, possibly lining it with more newspaper or other absorbing material. 
5. Finally, put the package in a box with newspaper and freezer packs. 
6. Include in the box an appropriately completed covering letter packed in a separate plastic bag.
7. Tape the parcel carefully and write ‘Eläinperäinen näyte – vapautettu’ on the top.

OBDUKTIO tutkimuslähete, WORD tiedosto

About Posti services

The information is copied from the Posti website 2024.

Can I send a fragile parcel?

Yes, you can do this by choosing the delivery of a fragile parcel as an additional service. The price of the additional service is €10.90. Use it to send fragile or bendable goods (such as electronics or glass). Attach ‘Fragile’ labels to the parcel. The labels are available at Posti Service Points. Always wrap fragile contents in sufficient padding. Even though the parcel will be sorted manually, not by a machine, it should be able to withstand being loaded into a vehicle with other parcels.
Posti’s instructions for sending parcels

What is a Helposti code?

A Helposti code is a six-character number and letter sequence. It will ensure that your parcel is delivered to the recipient. You can find the Helposti code on the confirmation page after you have paid for the delivery. You will also receive it by email. Please write the Helposti code on the parcel. Also write the recipient’s name and address and your own information on the parcel.
Posti’s instructions

• Handle specimens carefully, as pressure marks and imprints caused by forceps and other tools influence histological analyses.
• Cut large biopsy specimens and organs to make the thickest parts no more than 1 cm thick. Since formalin penetrates tissue at a rate of 1 mm per hour, the middle of a thick specimen putrefies before formalin reaches it (Images 2 and 3).
• While cutting, keep biopsy specimens in one piece so that the pathologist can assess the whole (Image 2).
• If necessary, indicate ‘cran/caud’ and ‘dors/ventr’, margins or other particularly interesting areas with suture. Otherwise, the pathologist will choose the entire area representing the relevant changes for their margin analysis on the basis of macroscopic examination.
• Send biopsy specimens collected from different locations in separate jars.

• Use 10% buffered formalin at least 10 times the volume of the specimen so that the tissue floats freely. A large quantity of formalin improves specimen fixation and preserves the natural size and shape of the specimen (Image 1).
• Use formalin-resistant jars and close their lids carefully using, for example, tape.
• Clearly indicate on specimen jars the date and site of collection as well as the names of the owner and the patient.

• Describe the specimen in detail, for example, all small tumours of the mammary lobe separately. Use your imagination; there are no right or wrong words. Formalin hardens tissue, so the pathologist will not feel in fixated specimens what you felt when palpating fresh tissue. This should also be considered by noting any very small changes in specimens with suture.
• Complete the covering letter for biopsy and cytology specimens carefully and print one paper copy to accompany the specimen jars.

• Send one to three air-dried slides, leaving at least one undyed.
• Do not use fixative sprays.
• Store slides at room temperature protected from moisture and dust (not in a refrigerator) and send them as soon as possible after collection.
   
• Using a pencil, clearly indicate on the slides the date and site of collection as well as the names of the owner and the patient.
• Complete the covering letter for biopsy and cytology specimens carefully and print one paper copy to accompany the specimens.
• Avoid contact with formalin vapour. Do not send slides in the same bag together with any biopsy specimens in formalin.