Blood Tubes

Blood culture additive

Nutrient broth, SPS (sodium polyanethole sulfonate)

Blood culture department

Micro (biology)

Blood culture tests

FUO (fever of unknown origin), fungus, bacteria

Light blue additive

Sodium citrate (removes calcium to prevent blood from clotting)

Light blue department

Coagulation

Light blue yield

Plasma

Light blue tests

PT, PTT, APTT, D-Dimer

Red additive

none (glass) clot activator (plastic)

Red department

Chemistry

Red yield

Serum

Red tests

Drugs, hcg

SST/gold additive

silica and thixotropic gel

SST/gold department

Chemistry

SST/gold yield

Serum

SST/gold tests

Hcg, lipid panel, cholesterol, CMP, BMP, CRP,

Light green additive

lithium heparin (anticoagulant)

Light green department

Chemistry

Light green yield

Plasma

Light green Tests

ElectroLYTES, Hcg, stat chem

Dark green additive

Sodium Heparin (anticoagulant)

Dark green department

Chemistry

Dark green yield

Plasma

Dark green tests

ammonia (on ice), trace elements

Lavender additive

K2 EDTA (anticoagulant)

Lavender department

Hematology

Lavender yield

plasma, whole blood

Lavender Tests

Sickle cell, Platelets, HbA1c, Hematocrit, Hemoglobin, CBC, ESR

Pink additive

K2 EDTA

Pink department

Blood bank

Pink yield

plasma, whole blood

Pink tests

Type & screen, Rh, crossmatch

Grey additives

potassium oxalate (anticoag) and sodium fluoride (preserve)

Grey department

Chemistry

Grey yield

Plasma

Grey tests

glucose, alcohol/ETOH, lactic acid (on ice)