Patent ID: 7686771

Claim:
A method of processing a vial having a collection chamber containing a fluid-based cervical-vaginal sample, a valve mechanism, and an aliquot chamber, wherein the valve mechanism comprises or is coupled to a wall of the aliquot chamber, and wherein the valve mechanism is biased to seal the aliquot chamber from the collection chamber unless actively actuated, the method comprising: actuating the valve mechanism to unseal the aliquot chamber from the collection chamber; flowing an aliquot of the sample from the collection chamber into the aliquot chamber while the collection chamber is isolated from an environment exterior to the vial; terminating active actuation of the valve mechanism, wherein the biased valve mechanism automatically seals the aliquot chamber from the collection chamber to isolate the aliquot sample from a remaining portion of the sample in the collection chamber; transferring at least some of the remaining sample portion from the collection chamber to a microscope slide while the aliquot chamber is sealed from the collection chamber; reserving the slide for cytological screening of the sample for precursors to cervical cancer; and reserving the aliquot sample for deoxynucleic acid (DNA) testing to determine the presence of high-risk Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) in the sample.