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Stopper Colors
A review of blood collection tube stopper colors, additives, and usage.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Coagulation studies: PT, PTT, fibrinogen. What stopper color? | Light Blue |
Serum tests: most blood chemistries, serology tests, immunohematology ("blood bank testing"), AIDS antibody, viral studies. What stopper color? | Red |
Hematology studies: CBC, WBC count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet count, reticulocyte count, differential. What stopper color? | Lavender |
STAT blood chemistries utilizing plasma. What stopper color? | Green |
Glucose, blood alcohol (ethanol) levels, lactic acid. What stopper color? | Gray |
Westergren sedimentation rate ("SED rate") determination. What stopper color? | Black |
Trace metal analysis for: Antimony, Arsenic, Cadmium, Calcium, Chromium, Copper, Iron, Lead, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc. Also, nutrients and toxicology studies. What stopper color? | Royal Blue |
Lead levels. What stopper color? | Brown |
Immunohematology ("Blood bank testing") using gel system. What stopper color? | Pink |
All tests using serum except blood bank. What stopper color? | "Tiger Top"/Red and Black Mottled OR Gold |
Light Blue additive? | Sodium citrate (anticoagulant) |
Red additive? | Glass tube has no additive; plastic tube has a clot activator. |
"Tiger Top"/Red and Black Mottled OR Gold additive? | Silicone ("gel system") |
Lavender additive? | EDTA (anticoagulant) |
Green additive? | Sodium heparin, lithium heparin, or ammonium heparin (anticoagulants) |
Gray additive? | Potassium oxalate and sodium fluoride, or lithium iodacetate and heparin |
Black additive? | Buffered sodium citrate |
Royal Blue additive? | Purple label - EDTA (anticoagulant); Green label - heparin (anticoagulant); Red label - no additive |
Brown additive? | Sodium heparin or EDTA (anticoagulants) |
Pink additive? | K3 EDTA |
Which tubes must be completely filled with blood? | Light Blue and Black tubes. |
When using a butterfly needle to collect a coagulation tube first, what special procedure must you follow? Why? | You must draw some blood into a "discard" tube first. If you do not, air from the tubing will cause the coagulation tube to fill incompletely. |