Container Types:

Sodium Citrate (blue top) and EDTA (lavender top)

Optimal Collection Volume:

Blue Top

• 2.7 mL in solid blue top tube or 1.8 mL in clear blue top tube.  The correct fill volume is indicated by the etched line on the tube.
• Click here to view the specimen collection guide for blue top (citrate) tubes.

Lavender Top

• Full tube

Minimum Volume:

• Blue Top - Full tube
• Lavender Top - 1 mL whole blood

Collection Instructions:

Blue Top

1. Mix by gently inverting the sample 5-10 times.
2. If collected through a blood collection set (butterfly), a discard tube must first be drawn to eliminate dead space from tubing.

Lavender Top

1. Mix by gently inverting the sample 5-10 times.

Specimen Transport Temperature:

Blue top - Room temperature; frozen if platelet-poor plasma

Lavender top - Refrigerated

Processing Instructions:

Blue Top

1. Centrifuge sample within 4 hours of collection. Platelet-poor plasma must be obtained per laboratory procedure.
2. If testing will be delayed >4 hours from collection, aliquot plasma into a separate vial and freeze immediately.

Outpatient collections

1. Spin down the sample, remove plasma, and spin plasma again to obtain platelet-poor plasma.
2. Separate the platelet-poor plasma into a screw-top vial.
3. Freeze plasma immediately.

Lavender Top

1. Keep the specimen as whole blood for testing.
2. Store refrigerated before testing.
3. Allow refrigerated specimens to come to room temperature and mix before analysis.