From our main webpage (https://vetmed.tamu.edu/ivrps/), click “Order Tests and Kits” at the top of the page to access the IVRPS Flywire ordering portal.
You may check out as a guest (recommended) or create an account.
Review the available options and select the item(s) you wish to order.
Multiple items can be added to a single transaction before checkout (use browser “back” arrows to return to the menu).
For questions about IVRPS services, please contact us at ivrps@tamu.edu or 979-862-3842. Flywire support should only be contacted for technical website issues.
No, as of February 2025, our department requires that all tests be paid for at the time of submission via Flywire.
No, the IVRPS is wholly separate from the GI Lab, TVMDL and other TAMU labs and each lab has their unique accounting system.
We require payment through the Flywire venue.
No, as of February 2025, our department requires that all tests must be paid for at the time of submission via Flywire, and we can no longer invoice post-services.
Please visit our online order & payment venue, Flywire, to make a payment.
Please contact Lori Reismeier at lreismeier@tamu.edu or 979-862-4010
Please see our current fee list at fee schedule
Please see our current fee list at fee schedule
Yes, a refund can be issued for all diagnostics not completed at the time we are notified. Please note it may take up to 5 business days for the refund to appear on your credit card account.
Please email us at ivrps@tamu.edu if you need to cancel a test.
Yes, a refund can be issued for all diagnostics not completed at the time we are notified. Please note that it may take up to 5 business days for the refund to appear on your credit card account.
Please email us at ivrps@tamu.edu if you need to cancel a test.
You do not need to order through Flywire. Only complete the online submission form and email it to ivrps@tamu.edu. You must cite the prior IVRPS Accession # from the previous report.
No, when submitted concurrently with a Comprehensive Renal Biopsy Evaluation (Item C on the Flywire order page), the SDS-PAGE is included at no additional charge.
Fees can be found in fee schedule
For a follow-up biopsy, please contact IVRPS prior to the procedure to receive a special discount code.
For a follow-up necropsy, please complete our online submission form, citing the previous biopsy accession number. There is no fee for follow-up necropsy evaluations.
The lab is staffed Monday through Friday from 8 AM – 5 PM Central Time, except for University holidays.
Please monitor our website for closure updates.
Please note that we have a small staff focused on processing submissions with no dedicated receptionist.
Please send an email (highly preferred: ivrps@tamu.edu) or leave a voicemail (979-862-3842), and we will respond as soon as possible (usually within 1 business day).
IVRPS ships kits that have been ordered and paid for on Mondays through Wednesdays via 2-day delivery.
We do not ship on holidays.
Please order no later than Wednesday, 11 AM Central Time, to receive the package by Friday (barring weather delays).
Please ship overnight using a private courier of your choice (preferred delivery by noon).
Due to the University’s postal service structure, please do not ship via USPS, as this could delay delivery by severaldays.
No, we cannot receive packages on weekends or University holidays.
For Urine SDS-PAGE: Perform a complete urinalysis with sediment exam. Collect supernatant (centrifuged urine) and freeze (-20 or -80°C). Ship the following Monday for Tuesday noon delivery using frozen commercial ice packs in an insulated (e.g., Styrofoam) container. Note on the submission form that the sample is Urine Supernatant. Please include your urinalysis with sediment results.
For Biopsy/Necropsy Samples: Refrigerate sample(s) over the weekend and ship the following Monday for Tuesday noon delivery using frozen commercial ice packs in an insulated (e.g., Styrofoam) container.
For Urine SDS-PAGE: Ideally, we should receive urine that has been stored in the refrigerator within 24-48 hours of collection. If shipping will be delayed by more than 1 day, perform a complete urinalysis with sediment exam. Collect supernatant (centrifuged urine) and freeze (-20 or -80°C). Ship overnight for delivery during IVRPS business hours using frozen commercial ice packs in an insulated (e.g., Styrofoam) container. Note on the submission form that the sample is Urine Supernatant. Please include your urinalysis with sediment results.
For Biopsy/Necropsy Samples: Renal tissues in Michel’s Transport Solution must be processed by our laboratory within 5-7 days of collection. Package tissues in Michel’s Transport Solution separately from formalin and refrigerate until shipment.
Package in an insulated container (e.g., Styrofoam) and include at least three 4 X 6 inch (10 X 15 cm) commercial ice packs specifically designed for shipping (not wet or dry ice or medical ice packs).
The minimum required to perform both urine SDS-PAGE and urinalysis (included with SDS-PAGE evaluation) is 3-5 mL of whole urine; however, more is preferred to allow for repeat assays. Please contact the lab (ivrps@tamu.edu) if you cannot send this much volume.
If performing ultrasound-guided needle biopsies:
All samples should be taken from the mid-cortex
An 18 or 16-gauge needle is preferred
Preferably 3 cores, each a minimum of 6-8 mm long
Place a 6 mm into the chilled Michel’s Transport solution (for immunofluorescence[IF])
Place the remaining cores in 10% formalin. Please leave cores intact (do not divide into smaller pieces).
If performing an open surgical or laparoscopic approach, you can collect tissue using 1 of 3 methods:
Needle biopsy: see above
Punch biopsy:
Take a sample from the mid-cortex using an 8-10 mm punch
Divide the biopsy into 2 pieces:
Place 1/3 into the chilled Michel’s Transport solution
Place the remaining 2/3 into 10% formalin. Please leave cores intact (do not divide into smaller pieces).
Wedge biopsy:
Take a sample from the mid-cortex
Collect ~ 5 x 5 x 5 mm wedge
Divide the biopsy into 2 pieces:
Place 1/3 into the chilled Michel’s Transport solution
Place the remaining 2/3 into 10% formalin
We are a pathology service and cannot provide guidance for performing medical/surgical procedures.
Preferred: If samples were collected within 15 minutes of each other, please place them in the same 10% formalin container.
If there is a significant time difference (>15 minutes) between the collection of individual samples:
Separate the samples into 2 different containers of 10% formalin.
Label each container with the amount of time elapsed between collection and fixation (e.g., 10 mins vs. 20 mins).
Both LM and EM can be performed on 10% formalin-fixed specimens.
Immunofluorescence (IF) requires fresh tissue. If you are able to ship the sample the same day (Monday through Wednesday) for overnight delivery, place the tissue for IF into an unused, clean container with chilled sterile 0.9% saline (e.g., screw-top conical tube).
Package in an insulated container (e.g., Styrofoam) and include at least three 4 x 6 in (10 x 15 cm) commercial ice packs specifically designed for shipping (not wet or dry ice or medical ice packs).
Generally, Michel’s Transport solution expires 6-8 months after receipt of the kit, provided the kit has remained refrigerated. Contact us if you have questions about expiration (ivrps@tamu.edu).
While not preferred, in our experience, in most cases, expired Michel’s Transport solution has been acceptable to use if it has been kept refrigerated.
Yes
Yes, we can provide consults on previous evaluations. Please contact our laboratory (ivrps@tamu.edu) for specific instructions.
Take gross images of the kidney(s) and include them with your submission.
Cut each kidney longitudinally.
For immunofluorescence (IF):
Do this collection FIRST, BEFORE exposing the tissue to formalin.
Take a sample from the mid-cortex.
Collect ~5 x 5 x 5 mm wedge and place into chilled Michel’s Transport solution.
Place the remaining kidney(s) into 10% formalin for light and electron microscopy.
If sending both kidneys, please place each kidney into its own jar and label LEFT vs RIGHT.
Here is a diagram, a biopsy from a euthanized animal
You may order Michel’s separately from the kits on the Flywire page, D) Replacement Michel’s Transport Solution $20.00 / unit. The fee is pro-rated like the kits, the more you order, the less/unit.
