Color / Additive | Mode of Action / Use |
Red Top
ADDITIVE None | MODE OF ACTION Blood clots, and the serum is separated by centrifugation
USES Chemistries, Immunology and Serology, Blood Bank (Crossmatch) |
Gold Top
ADDITIVE None | MODE OF ACTION Serum separator tube (SST) contains a gel at the bottom to separate blood from serum on centrifugation
USES Chemistries, Immunology and Serology |
Light Green Top
ADDITIVE Plasma Separating Tube (PST) with Lithium heparin | MODE OF ACTION Anticoagulates with lithium heparin; Plasma is separated with PST gel at the bottom of the tube
USES Chemistries |
Purple Top
ADDITIVE EDTA | MODE OF ACTION Forms calcium salts to remove calcium
USES Hematology (CBC) and Blood Bank (Crossmatch); requires full draw - invert 8 times to prevent clotting and platelet clumping |
Light Blue Top
ADDITIVE Sodium citrate | Light Blue Top
ADDITIVE Sodium citrate
MODE OF ACTION Forms calcium salts to remove calcium
USES Coagulation tests (protime and prothrombin time), full draw required |
Green Top
ADDITIVE Sodium heparin or lithium heparin
MODE OF ACTION Inactivates thrombin and thromboplastin
USES For lithium level, use sodium heparin
For ammonia level, use sodium or lithium heparin | Green Top
ADDITIVE Sodium heparin or lithium heparin
MODE OF ACTION Inactivates thrombin and thromboplastin
USES For lithium level, use sodium heparin
For ammonia level, use sodium or lithium heparin |
Dark Blue Top
ADDITIVE EDTA-
MODE OF ACTION Tube is designed to contain no contaminating metals
USES Trace element testing (zinc, copper, lead, mercury) and toxicology | MODE OF ACTION Tube is designed to contain no contaminating metals
USES Trace element testing (zinc, copper, lead, mercury) and toxicology |
Light Gray Top
ADDITIVE Sodium fluoride and potassium oxalate | MODE OF ACTION Antiglycolytic agent preserves glucose up to 5 days
USES Glucoses, requires full draw (may cause hemolysis if short draw) |
Yellow Top
ADDITIVE ACD (acid-citrate-dextrose) | MODE OF ACTION Complement inactivation
USES HLA tissue typing, paternity testing, DNA studies |
Yellow - Black Top
ADDITIVE Broth mixture | MODE OF ACTION Preserves viability of microorganisms
USES Microbiology - aerobes, anaerobes, fungi |
Black Top
ADDITIVE Sodium citrate (buffered) | MODE OF ACTION Forms calcium salts to remove calcium
USES Westergren Sedimentation Rate; requires full draw |
Orange Top
ADDITIVE Thrombin | MODE OF ACTION Quickly clots blood
USES STAT serum chemistries |
Light Brown Top
ADDITIVE Sodium heparin | MODE OF ACTION Inactivates thrombin and thromboplastin; contains virtually no lead
USES Serum lead determination |
Pink Top
ADDITIVE Potassium EDTA | MODE OF ACTION Forms calcium salts
USES Immunohematology |
White Top
ADDITIVE Potassium EDTA | MODE OF ACTION Forms calcium salts
USES Molecular/PCR and bDNA testing |