Order of Tubes

Light Green
Yellow - Black Top Top

ADDITIVE Broth mixture ADDITIVE Plasma Separating Tube (PST) with Lithium heparin

MODE OF ACTION Preserves viability of microorganisms MODE OF Anticoagulates with lithium heparin; Plasma is separated
ACTION with PST gel at the bottom of the tube
USES Microbiology - aerobes, anaerobes, fungi
USES Chemistries

Red Top or Gold

Top
Purple Top

ADDITIVE None no anti coagulant

MODE OF Blood clots, and the serum is separated by EDTA liquid ( buffered sodium citrate, do not freeze or
ACTION centrifugation ADDITIVE cells lyse) , do nto leave longer than 12 hours
Prevents clot but chelates Calcium and Pb
Chemistries, Immunology and Serology, Blood Bank
(Crossmatch) MODE OF
USES Forms calcium salts to remove calcium
Used for Serum after it is centrifuged ACTION
If pink means blood cells lyse ( no good) Hematology (CBC) and Blood Bank (Crossmatch); requires
full draw - invert 8 times to prevent clotting and
platelet clumping
Do No centrifuge ( results in hemolysis) Check this was in
Light Blue Top 4th year notes??
USES • Whole blood
• CBC
ADDITIVE Sodium citrate
• INR
MODE OF ACTION Forms calcium salts to remove calcium • PPT

Coagulation tests
• Hormones (hGC) (pregnancy)

• Wholel blood
USES • protime (PT)
• prothrombin time PPT (Royal) Dark
• full draw required Blue Top

ADDITIVE Sodium EDTA or sodium heparin

Dark Green Top MODE OF

Tube is designed to contain no contaminating metals
ACTION

ADDITIVE
Sodium heparin or lithium heparin • Trace element testing (zinc, copper, lead,
Prevents clots (anti coag) mercury)
USES
• toxicology
MODE OF
Inactivates thrombin and thromboplastin • Nutritional chemistry ( Na and Mg)
ACTION

For lithium level, use sodium heparin

For ammonia level, use sodium or lithium heparin
• Plasma ( normally has fibrinogen in it so it Red-Gray Top
clots) Can be gold
• INR
USES • PTT Serum Separating Tube (SST) with clot activator
ADDITIVE
• BUN Need to centrifuge 15-20 min @3500 RPM
• Ionized Ca
MODE OF Forms clot quickly and separates the serum with SST
• Electrolytes
ACTION gel at the bottom of the tube
• ALCAT food testing
• IgG food senstivity Chemistries (serum)
• Most common tube used for blood
USES • Liver enzymes
• Hormones FSH, LH
• Blood chemistry electrolytes ie NA, K, CL

Class of 2008 1
 Order of Tubes

Gold Top Brown Top

ADDITIVE None ADDITIVE Sodium heparin ( need Ac with metals tests)

MODE OF Serum separator tube (SST) contains a gel at the bottom MODE OF
ACTION to separate blood from serum on centrifugation Inactivates thrombin and thromboplastin
ACTION
USES Chemistries, Immunology and Serology
• Serum lead determination (lead
USES poisoning)

Yellow Top
1st drawn to
prevent false +
Pink Tube
ACD (acid-citrate-dextrose) for blood banking
ADDITIVE Or growth medium for microbes ( need to know org,
done) is hospital

MODE OF
Complement inactivation
ACTION

• HLA tissue typing Additive: Potassium EDTA

USES • paternity testing, DNA studies
• septicemia Uses:
• blood bank Studies
• blood typing,
• whole haematology
Light Gray
Top

Sodium fluoride and potassium oxalate also, sodium Order: Stop red light green light ready go
ADDITIVE
lithium idoacetate, heparin, sodium chloride 1. St: sterile yellow
2. red tube
MODE OF 3. light blue tube
Antiglycolytic agent preserves glucose up to 5 days
ACTION 4. green tube
5. light purple ( lavender tube)
For lithium level, use sodium heparin
6. Ready ( red grey mottled
Glucoses, requires full draw (may cause hemolysis if
USES 7. Go grey
short draw)
Fasting blood glucose
All coloured tubes can be used for Whole blood

EDTA prevents clotting

Black Top
Pink Top

ADDITIVE Sodium citrate (buffered)

MODE OF
Forms calcium salts to remove calcium
ACTION

Westergren Sedimentation Rate (ESR); requires full

USES
draw

Orange Top

ADDITIVE Thrombin

MODE OF ACTION Quickly clots blood

USES STAT serum chemistries

Class of 2008 2