Specimen Requirements

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Whole Blood

Specimen must arrive within 30 minutes of draw.

Container/Tube: Blood gas capillary tube or heparinized syringe. Specimen exposed to air is not acceptable.

Specimen Volume: Full blood gas capillary tube or 1 mL of whole blood from heparinized syringe

Transport Temperature: Refrigerate

Collection Instructions: Forward promptly.

Note: 1. For inpatients, whole blood is preferred.

2. For offsite locations, serum or lithium heparin plasma is acceptable, see collection instructions below. Note that lithium heparin plasma is preferred for offsite collections. 

3. Submit original specimen container.

Plasma

Specimen must arrive within 24 hours of draw.

Container/Tube: Green-top (heparin) gel tube. Specimen exposed to air is not acceptable. Tube cap should be secured to vial.

Specimen Volume: 0.5 mL of heparinized plasma
Transport Temperature: Refrigerate
Collection Instructions: Forward promptly.

Note: 1. For inpatients, whole blood is preferred.

2. For offsite locations, lithium heparin plasma is preferred since it does not require clotting time. Centrifuge heparin plasma specimens immediately after collection to ensure excellent separation.

3. Submit original tube, do not open or remove cap.
 

Serum
Specimen must arrive within 24 hours of draw.

Container/Tube: Gold-top serum gel tube. Specimen exposed to air is not acceptable.  Tube cap shoud be secured to vial.

Specimen Volume: 0.5 mL of serum
Transport Temperature: Refrigerate
Collection Instructions: Forward promptly.

Note: 1. For inpatients, whole blood is preferred.

2. For offsite locations, serum is acceptable, but lithium heparin plasma is preferred since it does not require clotting time.  For serum specimens, centrifuge gold-top tube as soon as specimen is clotted to ensure excellent separation.

3. Submit original tube, do not open or remove cap.