Tube Colors
This tube color is often used for serum collection and has no additives.
What is the red tube?
This additive is in light blue tubes and helps prevent blood from clotting, making it useful for coagulation tests.
What is sodium citrate?
The third tube in the order of draw, which is commonly green, contains this additive.
What is heparin?
This test is often collected in yellow tubes and is essential for diagnosing blood infections.
What is a blood culture?
These tubes must be chilled immediately after drawing for accurate results in lactic acid tests.
What are gray-top tubes?
This color tube contains an anticoagulant used primarily for blood cultures and is often drawn first.
What is yellow?
This additive, found in the lavender tube, is an anticoagulant that binds calcium to prevent blood clotting.
What is EDTA?
The first tube to be drawn is usually this one, often used for blood culture tests.
What is yellow?
This complete blood count (CBC) test is typically collected in a lavender tube.
What is CBC?
Some samples need special treatment, such as being kept at room temperature, chilled, or protected from this.
What is light?
This tube is commonly green and contains an anticoagulant often used in tests for ammonia levels.
What is the green tube?
The additive in green tubes, often used for chemistry tests, works by inhibiting thrombin and other clotting factors.
What is heparin?
The second tube to be drawn is this color, often containing sodium citrate for coagulation studies.
What is light blue?
The basic metabolic panel (BMP) is typically collected in this tube color.
What is gold or red-speckled (serum separator)?
This term describes the accidental transfer of additives from one tube to another during the draw process.
What is cross-contamination?
This tube is typically lavender and is most commonly used for complete blood count (CBC) tests.
What is the lavender tube?
This additive is a clot activator commonly found in gold or red-speckled tubes, often used in chemistry panels.
What is silica or a serum separator?
After serum tubes, this anticoagulant tube is usually drawn next in the order of draw.
What is the green tube?
This test, assessing blood clotting, is commonly collected in a light blue tube.
What is PT/PTT?
This common issue, caused by excessive shaking or improper handling, can lead to broken red blood cells in the sample.
What is hemolysis?
This gray-top tube is used for glucose testing because it contains an additive that helps preserve blood sugar levels.
What is the gray tube?
Found in gray tubes, this additive is combined with potassium oxalate to prevent glycolysis in glucose testing.
What is sodium fluoride?
To prevent cross-contamination, this tube should always be drawn last when multiple tubes are required.
What is the gray tube?
Collected in a gray tube, this test measures blood sugar levels, often fasting.
What is a glucose test?
The correct number of times a tube should be inverted after drawing to ensure proper mixing with the additive.
What is 8-10 times?