Conformity to preestablished standard operating procedures (SOPs) is crucial for the consistency of biospecimen quality and thus for the success of research using biospecimens. Standardized terminology and reporting of biospecimen provenance and processing can improve the robustness and reproducibility of analytical results. Preanalytical variables play an integral role in the outcome of the research and thus quality assurance focus has become a priority. The continuous evolution of scientific technologies and dynamic research requirements for precision medicine has necessitated the development of a foundational framework for biospecimen traceability and its periodic updates. The Standard Preanalytical Code (SPREC) is a seven-element code that facilitates the annotation of biospecimens by identifying preanalytical factors that significantly influence downstream analyses and impact analysis outcomes, allowing these factors to be anticipated and standardized within the SOPs. SPREC offers overarching guidance and a general framework for the documentation and reporting of preanalytical variables, applicable across various research contexts. Support tools for SPREC implementation in biobank IT systems have been previously described. Specific operational requirements, especially those related to complex derivatives production, should be considered and incorporated into their respective laboratory protocols or SOPs. This would ensure complete, detailed, and accurate documentation and handling of all preanalytical variables, aligned with the unique needs of each study or clinical investigation. Updates to the SPREC were done in 2012 and 2018 and both the ISBER Best Practices and the ISO20387:2018 make reference to the SPREC.
In this short communication, the SPREC version 4.0 is published. It includes updates of new sample types and types of corresponding primary containers, additional options in sample storage and processing times and temperatures during the first and second centrifugation, and finally more options for longer tissue fixation times, based on feedback and real-time experiences from SPREC implementation in biobanking workflows (Tables 1 and 2). SPREC options are never removed in more recent versions, so that SPREC data that have been previously documented in biobank databases always remain valid.