BELOW ARE SOME OF THE COLLECTION TUBES THAT ARE USED FOR PHLEBOTOMY. THIS IS NOT THE ORDER OF DRAW!!!!!! JUST A REVIEW OF THE TUBES
COLLECTION TUBES FOR PHLEBOTOMY
| Red Top |
 |
| ADDITIVE |
None |
| MODE OF ACTION |
Blood clots, and the serum is separated by centrifugation |
| USES |
Chemistries, Immunology and Serology, Blood Bank (Crossmatch) |
| Gold Top |
 |
| ADDITIVE |
None |
| MODE OF ACTION |
Serum separator tube (SST) contains a gel at the bottom to separate blood from serum on centrifugation |
| USES |
Chemistries, Immunology and Serology |
| Light Green Top |
 |
| ADDITIVE |
Plasma Separating Tube (PST) with Lithium heparin |
| MODE OF ACTION |
Anticoagulates with lithium heparin; Plasma is separated with PST gel at the bottom of the tube |
| USES |
Chemistries |
| Purple Top |
 |
| ADDITIVE |
EDTA |
| MODE OF ACTION |
Forms calcium salts to remove calcium |
| USES |
Hematology (CBC) and Blood Bank (Crossmatch); requires full draw – invert 8 times to prevent clotting and platelet clumping |
| Light Blue Top |
 |
| ADDITIVE |
Sodium citrate |
| MODE OF ACTION |
Forms calcium salts to remove calcium |
| USES |
Coagulation tests (protime and prothrombin time), full draw required |
| Green Top |
 |
| ADDITIVE |
Sodium heparin or lithium heparin |
| MODE OF ACTION |
Inactivates thrombin and thromboplastin |
| USES |
For lithium level, use sodium heparin
For ammonia level, use sodium or lithium heparin |
| Dark Blue Top |
 |
| ADDITIVE |
EDTA- |
| MODE OF ACTION |
Tube is designed to contain no contaminating metals |
| USES |
Trace element testing (zinc, copper, lead, mercury) and toxicology |
| Light Gray Top |
 |
| ADDITIVE |
Sodium fluoride and potassium oxalate |
| MODE OF ACTION |
Antiglycolytic agent preserves glucose up to 5 days |
| USES |
Glucoses, requires full draw (may cause hemolysis if short draw) |
| Yellow Top |
 |
| ADDITIVE |
ACD (acid-citrate-dextrose) |
| MODE OF ACTION |
Complement inactivation |
| USES |
HLA tissue typing, paternity testing, DNA studies |
| Yellow – Black Top |
 |
| ADDITIVE |
Broth mixture |
| MODE OF ACTION |
Preserves viability of microorganisms |
| USES |
Microbiology – aerobes, anaerobes, fungi |
| Black Top |
 |
| ADDITIVE |
Sodium citrate (buffered) |
| MODE OF ACTION |
Forms calcium salts to remove calcium |
| USES |
Westergren Sedimentation Rate; requires full draw |
| Orange Top |
 |
| ADDITIVE |
Thrombin |
| MODE OF ACTION |
Quickly clots blood |
| USES |
STAT serum chemistries |
| Light Brown Top |
 |
| ADDITIVE |
Sodium heparin |
| MODE OF ACTION |
Inactivates thrombin and thromboplastin; contains virtually no lead |
| USES |
Serum lead determination |
| Pink Top |
 |
| ADDITIVE |
Potassium EDTA |
| MODE OF ACTION |
Forms calcium salts |
| USES |
Immunohematology |
| White Top |
 |
| ADDITIVE |
Potassium EDTA |
| MODE OF ACTION |
Forms calcium salts |
| USES |
Molecular/PCR and bDNA testing |
References
- Kiechle FL. So You’re Going to Collect a Blood Specimen: An Introduction to Phlebotomy, 13th Edition (2010), College of American Pathologists, Northfield, IL.Dalal BI, Brigden ML. Factitious biochemical measurements resulting from hematologic conditions. Am J Clin Pathol. 2009 Feb;131(2):195-204.Lippi G, Salvagno GL, Montagnana M, Franchini M, Guidi GC. Phlebotomy issues and quality improvement in results of laboratory testing. Clin Lab. 2006;52(5-6):217-30.
Lippi G, Blanckaert N, Bonini P, Green S, Kitchen S, Palicka V, Vassault AJ, Mattiuzzi C, Plebani M. Causes, consequences, detection, and prevention of identification errors in laboratory diagnostics. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2009;47(2):143-53.
Valenstein PN, Sirota RL. Identification errors in pathology and laboratory medicine. Clin Lab Med. 2004 Dec;24(4):979-96, vii.
