Front | Back |
Blood Cultures
(sterile collection) Yellow SPS Sterile media bottles |
Minimizes chance of microbial infection
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Coagulation tubes
Light Blue |
The first additive tube in the order because all other additive tubes affect coagulation tests
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Glass nonadditive tubes
Red |
Prevents contamination by additives in other tubes
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Plastic clot activator tubes
Red Serum Separator tubes (SSTs) Red&Gray rubber Gold plastic |
Filled after coagulation tests because silica particles activate clotting and affect coagulation tests (carryover of silica into subsequent tubes can be overridden by anticoagulant in them).
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Plasma separator tubes (PSTs)
Green/gray rubber Light- green plastic |
Heparin affects coagulation tests and interferes in collection of serum specimens; causes the least interference in tests other than coagulation tests
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Heparin Tubes
Green |
Same as #5
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EDTA tubes
Lavender/pink Plasma Preparation tubes (pearl) PPTs |
Responsible for more carryover problems than any other additive:
elevates NA and K levels Chelates and decreases calcium and iron levels Elevates PT and PTT results. |
Oxalate/fluoride tubes
gray |
Sodium fluoride and potassium oxalate affect sodium and potassium levels respectively.
After hematology tubes because oxalate damages cell membranes and causes abnormal RBC morphology. Oxalate interferes in enzyme reactions. |