Regional Medical Laboratory

Specimen Collection Quick Reference Sheet - 2018

Specimen Collection and Transport Sheet - 2019

Specimen Collection OB/GYN Information Sheet - 2019

Lavender, Pink or White Pearl
	Potassium EDTA (K2 or K3 EDTA): For tests requiring EDTA plasma, separate plasma appropriately and send in labeled transfer tube. If whole blood is required, send filled vacuum tube. Pink top EDTA is exclusively used for Blood Bank collection.
Gray
	Potassium Oxalate and Sodium Fluoride: Contains sodium fluoride which is a glycolysis inhibitor. Send plasma in a labeled transfer tube. If whole blood is required, send filled vacuum tube.
Blue or Light Blue
	Sodium citrate .105 M (3.2%): Buffered Send filled vacuum tube. Tube MUST be filled to the designated line. Under-filled or over-filled tubes cannot be accepted.
Green (10 ml glass or 6 ml plastic)
	Sodium Heparin: Preferred heparin tube for send out testing. It is glass and Does Not contain inert gel.
Lt. Green w/ Gel (4.5 ml size)
	Lithium Heparin: Contains an inert gel for separating plasma, which acts as a barrier between cells and plasma after centrifugation. Send centrifuged tube.
Dk. Green - No Gel (4.5 ml size)
	Lithium Heparin: For heparinized whole blood. Does not contain inert gel.
Royal Blue
	Royal Blue acid washed tubes are available in No Additive clot tubes for serum collection as well as EDTA and Sodium Heparin additives for plasma collections. Please take care to inspect the tube label to identify the additive type. Royal Blue topped tubes are special acid washed tubes for the collection of trace elements or heavy metals and cellular immunology studies.
Yellow
6mL-8.5mL Whole Blood Tubes with Anti-Coagulant	ACD [Acid Citrate Dextrose solution A or B] It is glass and does not contain inert separation gel.
Red No Gel
10mL Serum Tube, Red Cap No Gel 6mL Serum Tube, Red Cap No Gel	Contains no anticoagulant. Used in Blood Drug Screens and other testing where the gel additive could interfere with testing. Send filled vacuum tube. Red No Gel tubes are available in "No Additive" clot tubes as well as "Clot Activator" tubes for serum collection. Please take care to inspect the tube label to identify the additive type.
Red-Gray (Tiger) or Yellow-Gold
8.5mL SST, Red/Grey Cap with Gel 5mL SST, Gold with Gel	Serum Separator Tubes (SST) Contain clot activator and inert gel for separating serum, which acts as a barrier between cells and serum after centrifugation. Send centrifuged tube.

For tests requiring serum, a blood sample is drawn into a tube containing no anticoagulant. The blood must be allowed to clot for approximately 30 minutes before centrifugation. Clotted blood should then be centrifuged for 10-15 minutes. The serum can then be separated from the cells and transported in an aliquot tube, if necessary. The use of a transfer pipette is the required method, please DO NOT tilt the original tube when separating the serum into an aliquot tube. The presence of red blood cells may give erroneous results.