| Question | Answer |
| What are YELLOW tubes used for? | Blood culture and sterile specimens |
| What are BLUE tubes used for? | Coagulation tests (PT, PTT, fibrinogen) |
| What are RED tubes used for? | Serum determinations in chemistry testing and blood bank testing. |
| What are GREEN tubes used for? | Routine chemistry testing |
| What are LAVENDER tubes used for? | Hematology testing (CBC, reticulocyte count, erythrocyte sedimentation). |
| What are GRAY tubes used for? | Glucose tolerance and lactic acid measurement. |
| What are ROYAL BLUE and TAN tubes used for? | Used to collect samples for nutritional studies, therapeutic drug
monitoring and toxicology. Also used for testing aluminum,
copper, arsenic, calcium, etc. Tan topped is used for lead testing. |
| What is the additive in Yellow stopper tubes? | Sodium Polyanetholesulfonate |
| What is the additive in Blue stopper tubes? | Sodium Citrate |
| Which additive prevents coagulation by binding calcium? | Sodium Citrate |
| Which color tube stopper does not require an additive? | Red |
| What additive *can* (not required) be added to RED stopper tubes? | Thixotropic gel |
| What is the additive in GREEN stopper tubes? | Sodium heparin and lithium heparin - natural anticoagulants that inhibits thrombin. |
| What is the additive in LAVENDER stopper tubes? | Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA) |
| What does the additive Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA) do? | Binds the calcium needed for clot formation. |
| What is the additive in GRAY stopper tubes? | Sodium fluoride and Potassium Oxalate |
| What is the additive in TAN stopper tubes? | EDTA - Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid |
| What is the correct order of draw when performing a venipuncture? | 1. Blood Cultures
2. Light Blue top-tubes
3. Red or Speckled tubes
4. Green top tubes
5. Lavender top tubes
6. Gray top tubes |
| What color tube is used for DNA testing? | Yellow |
| Tests done in the blood bank require what color tube? | Red or Lavender or Pink |
| What is the CLSI Order of Draw? | 1. Yellow - Sterile
2. Light Blue top-Coagulation
3. Red - Serum
4. Red Tiger Top - SST
5. Light Green - Lithium Heparin
6. Dark Green - Sodium Heparin
7. Lavender - EDTA
8. Gray - Glycolytic inhibitor |
| A urine C & S is typically ordered to detect what? | U.T.I. |
| What hormone is detected in a positive urine pregnancy test? | HCG |
| Which test might require 'chain of custody?' | Drug Test |
| Which color tube is used for lead testing? | Tan |
