Abstract: A suction canister assembly includes an outer collection bottle having a bottle mouth, an inner canister nested therein having a canister mouth and having a valve device at its bottom end, a dual closure lid closing off both the bottle mouth and the canister mouth and having an inlet port and an outlet port in communication with the canister, and a fluid porous specimen receptacle suspended from the lid and surrounding the inlet port. With the valve device open, a catheter assembly is exteriorly connected to the inlet port while negative pressure is applied to the outlet port. The catheter assembly is used for vacuum aspiration of a patient with solid material being retained within the receptacle and liquid material passes into the canister, through the valve device, and into the collection bottle.