Mastering Phlebotomy: Tubes, Tests, and Additives Quiz

A light blue tube is typically used for coagulation studies, which include tests like Prothrombin Time (PT), Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT), Fibrin Degradation Products (FDP), Thrombin Time (TT), and Bleeding Time (BT). Other tests such as Complete Blood Count (CBC), Liver Function Tests (LFTs), and Serum Electrolytes are usually done in different color tubes.

Gray top tubes are primarily used for chemistry tests, which analyze various components of the blood such as glucose levels, electrolytes, and more.

The correct additives in the gray top tube are Sodium Floride, Lithium Iodoacrete, and Potassium Oxide.

Yellow top tubes typically contain anticoagulant additives, such as Sodium Polyanethole Sulfonate, to prevent blood clotting during testing.

The correct additives in the red/gray or gold/gray tiger top tubes are clot activators and thixotropic gel. Glass particles, silica, and celite are not additives found in these tubes.

Anticoagulant Sodium Citrate is the correct additive found in the Light Blue Tube, which is used to prevent blood from clotting during testing. Heparin, EDTA, and Citric Acid are common additives used in other color-coded tubes for different purposes.

Green top tubes are typically used for chemistry tests performed on plasma, as they contain a heparin additive which prevents blood clotting by inhibiting thrombin. This makes them suitable for tests such as ammonia levels, carboxyhemoglobin, and stat electrolytes.

The lavender top tube is typically used for tests related to immunohematology and contains the anticoagulant EDTA, which stands for Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.

Yellow top tubes are typically used for blood culture tests to detect the presence of microorganisms, such as bacteria, in the blood sample.