Order Of Tubes Revised Br

Order of Tubes

Light Green Top

Yellow - Black Top ADDITIVE

Broth mixture

ADDITIVE

Plasma Separating Tube (PST) with Lithium heparin

MODE OF ACTION

Preserves viability of microorganisms

USES

Microbiology - aerobes, anaerobes, fungi

MODE OF ACTION

Anticoagulates with lithium heparin; Plasma is separated with PST gel at the bottom of the tube

USES

Chemistries

Red Top or Gold Top

Purple Top

ADDITIVE

None no anti coagulant

MODE OF ACTION

Blood clots, and the serum is separated by centrifugation

ADDITIVE

EDTA liquid ( buffered sodium citrate, do not freeze or cells lyse) , do nto leave longer than 12 hours Prevents clot but chelates Calcium and Pb

USES

Chemistries, Immunology and Serology, Blood Bank (Crossmatch) Used for Serum after it is centrifuged If pink means blood cells lyse ( no good)

MODE OF ACTION

Forms calcium salts to remove calcium

Light Blue Top USES ADDITIVE

Sodium citrate

MODE OF ACTION

Forms calcium salts to remove calcium

USES

Coagulation tests • Wholel blood • protime (PT) • prothrombin time PPT

•

full draw required

Dark Green Top

ADDITIVE

Sodium heparin or lithium heparin Prevents clots (anti coag)

MODE OF ACTION

Inactivates thrombin and thromboplastin

USES

For lithium level, use sodium heparin For ammonia level, use sodium or lithium heparin • Plasma ( normally has fibrinogen in it so it clots) • INR • PTT • BUN • Ionized Ca • Electrolytes • ALCAT food testing • IgG food senstivity

Class of 2008

Hematology (CBC) and Blood Bank (Crossmatch); requires full draw - invert 8 times to prevent clotting and platelet clumping Do No centrifuge ( results in hemolysis) Check this was in 4th year notes?? • Whole blood • CBC • INR • PPT

•

Hormones (hGC) (pregnancy)

(Royal) Dark Blue Top ADDITIVE

Sodium EDTA or sodium heparin

MODE OF ACTION

Tube is designed to contain no contaminating metals

• USES

•

Trace element testing (zinc, copper, lead, mercury) toxicology

•

Nutritional chemistry ( Na and Mg)

Red-Gray Top Can be gold

ADDITIVE

Serum Separating Tube (SST) with clot activator Need to centrifuge 15-20 min @3500 RPM

MODE OF ACTION

Forms clot quickly and separates the serum with SST gel at the bottom of the tube

USES

Chemistries (serum) • Most common tube used for blood • Liver enzymes • Hormones FSH, LH • Blood chemistry electrolytes ie NA, K, CL

1

Order of Tubes

Gold Top

Brown Top

ADDITIVE

None

ADDITIVE

Sodium heparin ( need Ac with metals tests)

MODE OF ACTION

Serum separator tube (SST) contains a gel at the bottom to separate blood from serum on centrifugation

MODE OF ACTION

Inactivates thrombin and thromboplastin

USES

Chemistries, Immunology and Serology

•

USES Yellow Top 1st drawn to prevent false +

Serum lead determination (lead poisoning)

Pink Tube

ADDITIVE

ACD (acid-citrate-dextrose) for blood banking Or growth medium for microbes ( need to know org, done) is hospital

MODE OF ACTION

Complement inactivation •

HLA tissue typing

•

paternity testing, DNA studies septicemia

•

USES

Light Gray Top ADDITIVE

Sodium fluoride and potassium oxalate also, sodium lithium idoacetate, heparin, sodium chloride

MODE OF ACTION

Antiglycolytic agent preserves glucose up to 5 days

USES

For lithium level, use sodium heparin Glucoses, requires full draw (may cause hemolysis if short draw) Fasting blood glucose

Additive: Potassium EDTA Uses: • • •

blood bank Studies blood typing, whole haematology

Order: Stop red light green light ready go 1. St: sterile yellow 2. red tube 3. light blue tube 4. green tube 5. light purple ( lavender tube) 6. Ready ( red grey mottled 7. Go grey All coloured tubes can be used for Whole blood EDTA prevents clotting

Black Top Pink Top ADDITIVE

Sodium citrate (buffered)

MODE OF ACTION

Forms calcium salts to remove calcium

USES

Westergren Sedimentation Rate (ESR); requires full draw

Orange Top ADDITIVE

Thrombin

MODE OF ACTION

Quickly clots blood

USES

STAT serum chemistries

Class of 2008

2