Blood Collection Tubes - Blood Specimen Collection Tubes
Vacutainer blood collection tube is a sterile and plastic
test tube with a colored rubber top stopper creating a vacuum seal inside
of the tube, facilitating the drawing of a predetermined volume of liquid.
Blood sample collection and storage are done in special blood
collection tubes that allow the preservation of the blood sample over a long
period and are used for laboratory testing.
Vacutainer blood collection tubes may
contain additives to stabilize and preserve the blood specimen prior to
analytical testing.
Check out here what methods
of blood collection are?
Phlebotomy
Phlebotomy is a process in
which a needle is used to take blood specimens from a vein, usually for
laboratory testing.
Collection of blood specimen of patient sends the laboratory
for testing, diagnostic and research.
Know here what are the different types
of medical needles used for drawing blood?
Types of Blood Collection Tube
The Blood collection tubes contain
different types of additives which are specific for the individual test.
1. Blood Culture Bottle
Additive
Sodium polyanethol sulfonate (anticoagulant) and growth
media for microorganisms.
Uses
Two bottles are typically collected in one blood draw; one
for aerobic organisms and one for anaerobic organisms.
2. Light Blue Top Tube
Additive
Sodium citrate - 3.2% Sodium citrate
(anticoagulant)
Test Used for -
a. Coagulation Screen
b. Bleeding time for platelets function
c. Prothrombin time for extrinsic pathway
d. Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT) for intrinsic
Pathway
e. D-dimer test
Used to check or monitor blood clotting disorder.
For thrombosis; Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
f. International Normalized Ratio (INR) for monitoring
patients on Warfarin.
g. aPTT ratio (Activated partial thromboplastin clotting
Time)
The test is used for monitoring the patient on an IV Heparin infusion.
3. Red Top Tube
Additive
No additive present.
Mode of action
Blood clots and serum separated by Centrifugation.
Test Used for-
a. Chemistry
b. Immunology
c. Serology
d. Blood bank (cross-match)
4. Gold Top Tube (SST): Serum Separating Tube
Additive
This tube contains serum gel separator gel.
The test used for -
All Biochemistry tests.
5. Light Green Top Tube/ Heparin Tube
Additive
Sodium heparin or Lithium heparin (anticoagulant); prevent
clotting
Test Used for-
a. Chromosome testing
b. HLA typing
c. ammonia
d. lactate
e. Renin and Aldosterone
6. Purple Top tube/Lavender
Additive
Ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA)
(Anticoagulant)
Test Used for-
Hematological examination; complete Hemogram.
a. CBC (complete blood count)
b. ESR test
ESR refers to Erythrocyte Sedimentation rate, to measures
how fast red blood cells fall to the bottom of a tube.
Inflammation causes create a protein in the blood that makes red
blood cells fall more quickly.
c. Reticulocytes
Check immature red
blood cells.
d. Blood film for abdominal cells or malarial parasites
e. PTH (Parathyroid hormone)
f. Red cells folate (RCF)
To measure of folic acid in the blood. Deficiency of folic acid
in the blood cause megaloblastic anemia.
g. Mononucleosis spot or Monospot test
Determine EBV (Epstein-Barr virus).
7. Pink Top Tube
Additive
(EDTA)Ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid; (Anticoagulant)
Used only for Whole Blood, samples s being sent to the
transfusion lab.
Test Used for-
a. Blood typing and cross-matching
b. Direct Coombs test for autoimmune haemolytic anemia
c. HIV viral load,
d. Group and save (G & S); sample processing
8. Grey Top Tube
A tube containing two agents-
1. Sodium fluoride (glycolysis inhibitor); it is
Antiglycolytic Agent
2. Potassium oxalate; anticoagulant agent
Test used for-
a. Glucose, lactate testing
b. Glucose FBS (Glucose FBS)
c. GTT (glucose tolerance test)
9. Yellow Top tube
Contain Acid-citrate-dextrose (anticoagulant).
A test used for -
Tissue typing, DNA studies, HIV cultures.
Get details on what are different types of
syringe tips available and their uses.
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