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How to Order and Ship

Follow this simple guide to order your genetic tests and determine appropriate sample collection and shipping measures.

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1

Test Catalogue

Browse our test catalogue, and choose the tests of interest

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2

Consent

Fill out your sender information, patient, and billing data, then sign the consent

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3

CentoCard®

Collect the required amount of samples, preferably using CentoCard

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4

Sending

Send your sample to CENTOGENE*

*Please clearly mark your sample with unique identifier(s), DOB, and last and first name

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5

Download

Alternatively download our request form, fill in, and send it with signed consent form and sample

Required Information When Requesting a Test

Clinical Anamnesis

To ensure the highest-quality interpretation of genetic data, we require detailed clinical information about the patient and ideally also family members. Several studies have shown that high quality clinical information improves diagnostic yield (Bertoli-Avella et al. 2020, PMID: 32860008; Köhler et al. 2019).

The following information must be included on the accompanying requisition forms

  • Patient demographics
  • Name of ordering physician/healthcare provider with complete contact details
  • Name of report recipient with complete contact details
  • Name of invoice recipient with complete contact details if differing from report recipient
  • Clinical and family history information of patient
  • Test(s) requested
  • Signed, completed consent form
  • Preferred payment option – check the appropriate box. Please find payment options and required forms here.

Sample material must be labeled with

  • Patient’s full name
  • Patient’s date of birth
CENTOGENE Diagnostics How to Order Billing Options Header Image

Billing Options

Your Payment Options: CENTOGENE offers many convenient ways to pay for its genetic testing services.

Billing options

Material Requirements

Our laboratories can analyze several types of biological samples. The type of sample required depends on the desired test.
We accept the following biological materials for the corresponding tests:
 

CENTOGENE Test

 CentoCard® EDTA blood Buccal swab1 Saliva2 Ready to use DNA FFPE cfDNA
CentoGenome and CentoXome

✓

 ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ― ―
CentoArray®

✓

 ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ― ―
NGS Panels

✓

 ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ― ―
Somatic Tumor Panel ― ― ― ― ― ◯ ―
Single Gene or Targeted Testing (Sanger or NGS)

✓

 ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ― ―
Deletion/Duplication Testing (qPCR)

✓

 ◯ ◯ ― ◯ ― ―
Deletion/Duplication Testing (MLPA)

✓

 ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ― ―
Repeat Expansion Testing

✓

 ◯ ◯ ― ◯ ― ―
CentoGenome MOx and CentoXome MOx

✓

 ◯ ― ― ― ― ―
CentoMetabolic MOx

✓

 ◯ ― ― ― ― ―
Enzyme Panels MOx

✓

 ◯ ― ― ― ― ―
Enzyme Panels

✓

 ◯ ― ― ― ― ―
Enzymes and Biomarkers

✓

 ◯ ― ― ― ― ―
CentoScreen®

✓

 ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ― ―
CentoNIPT® ― ― ― ― ― ―

✓
 
✓ = Preferred
◯ = Accepted
― = Not accepted

1Only ORAcollect•DX (OCR-100) buccal swab collection kits are accepted
2Only Oragene OG-610 saliva collection sets are accepted
3Note: CentoNIPT is unavailable in the U.S.

Special speciments not listed here may be offered for certain tests. Please contact us at customer.support@centogene.com to enquire for further test & specimen options.

Notes

  • Each accompanied by Pathology report
  • Fixation types accepted: 10% Formalin or 4% Paraformaldehyde or frozen tissue from OCT-Cell blocks (freshly frozen)
  • Please do not send tissue fixed in Bouins or gluteraldehyde. All samples should be shipped in a sterile tube at room temperature - no cold pack is required

Attention

Please ensure that all clinical materials are collected with the highest level of attention. This is of particular importance when sampling fibroblasts, amniotic fluid, or chorionic villi where a sterile environment has to be maintained.

Should you have any questions regarding CENTOGENE’s recommendations for sample preparation, please contact us.

Contact us

Sample Requirements

CentoCard®/Filtercard

  • ≥ 1 full CentoCard® (10 complete blood spots)

Exceptions:

  • 2 full CentoCard®s or 1 full CentoCard® + 2 ml EDTA blood for CentoGenome MOx, CentoXome MOx, CentoMetabolic MOx, Enzyme Panels MOx and Enzyme Panels (CentoLSD, CentoSphingo, CentoMPS, and CentoNCL)

EDTA blood

  • ≥ 1 ml

Exceptions:

  • ≥4 ml required for CentoGenome MOx, CentoXome MOx, CentoMetabolic MOx, Enzyme Panels MOx and Enzyme Panels (CentoLSD, CentoSphingo, CentoMPS, and CentoNCL)
  • ≥5ml required for beta-glucocerebrosidase biochemical testing, which is performed in leucocytes

Buccal swab

  • 1 ORAcollect•DX (OCR-100) buccal swab collection kit

Exceptions:

  • 2 ORAcollect•DX (OCR-100) buccal swab collection kits for the Ataxia comprehensive panel and Ataxia repeat expansion panel

Saliva

  • 1 Oragene OG-610 saliva collection set

Exceptions:

  • 2 Oragene OG-610 saliva collection sets for the Ataxia comprehensive panel and Ataxia repeat expansion panel

Ready to use DNA

  • ≥ 1 µg

For DNA samples, we recommend extraction using Qiagen kits, elution in water or AE buffer in 20µL volume (min.), plus evaluation of 260/280 Ratio (1.6 – 2.1) and fluorescent dye quantification of concentration (> 10 ng/µl) before sending.

cfDNA (cell-free DNA)

  • 10 ml of blood shipped in cell-free DNA BCT STRECK tubes

Cultured cells

(fibroblasts, chorionic villi cells, amniotic fluid cells)

  • 1 flask, min. 25cm2, 80-90% confluent

CVS (chorionic villi)

  • A minimum of 10 cleaned villi

Cord blood

  • ≥1 ml

Amniotic fluid

  • A minimum of 10 ml

Biopsy material

  • ≥ 20 mg

Bone marrow aspirate (NH4-Heparin)

  • EDTA Tube or CentoCard, alternatively NH4-Heparin

Tissue sample

  • Sample size: ≥ 20 mg

FFPE (Formaline-fixed Parafin Embedded Tissue)

  • 1 Block
  • ≥ 10 sections of 10 µm thickness (uncharged slides without additives) and control slide with clearly marked area of enriched tumor

Sample Preparation Instructions

All clinical materials should be collected with approved methods to avoid contamination and cross contamination. A sterile environment must be maintained when collecting samples of fibroblasts, amniotic fluid, or chorionic villi. Our sample preparation requirements are detailed in the table below.

Important Information

For all countries except Germany, we require a written and signed statement including the complete address and name of the person or institution that will cover the cost of analysis.

Please note that for time-sensitive specimens, you must notify us via e-mail at customer.support@centogene.com.

CentoPortal – Our Online Ordering Portal

Designed to assist you at every step of processing your patients’ samples

Online Ordering Portal

Sample Transport

Samples should be sent to:

CENTOGENE GmbH
Am Strande 7
18055 Rostock
GERMANY

Filter cards, EDTA blood, cord blood, saliva, DNA, or paraffin embedded tissue

Samples can be sent via regular mail at room temperature. Liquid blood is stable for up to 4 days during transport.

Amniotic Fluid

A min. of 10 ml of samples should be placed into a sterile conical tube. These should be shipped overnight at room temperature. Care must be taken to ensure that the sample does not freeze.

Chorionic villi, Tissue Samples Other Than Paraffin Embedded Tissue

Specimens must be shipped at room temperature in a minimum of 35ml of RPMI transport medium with fetal calf serum. Especially during winter months, please ensure that the samples are shipped in a manner to secure that they do not freeze (temperatures should not fall below +4°C).

Cultured Cells

Flasks containing cells should be completely filled with transport medium containing fetal calf serum and shipped at room temperature. Care must be taken to ensure that the sample does not freeze.

CENTOGENE’s Logistics Service

Simplifying International Shipping of Biological Samples

Shipping biological samples across international borders can be a daunting and complex task. At CENTOGENE, we understand the importance of timely and reliable transportation of biological samples to enable a diagnosis and accelerate treatment options.

To help ease the stress of booking the pick-up of biological samples from your institution to CENTOGENE, we have launched a new logistics service.* Our logistics service is designed to simplify the entire process – making your life easier.

To get started, simply fill in the information form below to send us your request and take advantage of this service. Once we receive your request, our team will generate an account for you to use. You will then receive a follow-up email containing a link and all relevant information to help you get started.

Request Logistics Service

Please do not send patient data and/or sensible or critical health data through this contact form. By using this contact form you confirm to have read and to agree to our Data Protection Policy.

Only 4 Easy Steps Left After Submitting to Our Logistic Service

Step 1
DHL Login

Step 2
Shipment details

Step 3
Book a shipment

Step 4
Pickup

Get in Touch With Our Customer Support

Our consultation service is available in several languages.

+49 (0) 381 80 113 - 416

Mon. – Fri. 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. CEST

Sat. 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. CEST

Contact Us

For our US Partners:

+1 (617) 580 - 2102

Mon. – Fri. 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. EST


Contact Us

Disclaimer

*To ensure the quality of your products during transportation, it is important that the packaging used has no negative impact and provides sufficient protection against external factors. The packaging should allow for easy identification of its contents and their origin. Please note that CENTOGENE will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting from improper packaging. We recommend following DHL's guidelines on shipping and delivery and choosing packaging configurations accordingly.