Specimen Requirements

EDTA whole blood and serum are required for this test.

Blood for CBC

Specimen must arrive within 2 hours of draw.

Container/Tube:  Lavender-top (EDTA) tube

Specimen:  3 mL (minimum volume:  0.5 mL) of EDTA whole blood

Transport Temperature:  Ambient

Collection Instructions:  Invert several times to mix blood. Forward promptly. Specimen cannot be frozen. If there is a delay in transport of >2 hours, send specimen refrigerated.

Blood for Type and Screen

Container/Tube:  Pink-top (EDTA) tube(s)

Specimen:  5 mL (minimum volume:  1 mL) of EDTA whole blood in original VACUTAINER(S)®

Transport Temperature:  Ambient

Collection Instructions:  Forward promptly. Specimen cannot be frozen.

Note:  Specimen must be hand-labeled from patient’s wristband to include patient’s name, account number, date and time of draw, and phlebotomist’s initials.

Serum for All Other Tests

Specimen must arrive within 48 hours of draw.

One specimen tube per test.

Container:  Plain, red-top tube(s) or Gold SST tube

Specimen:  1 mL (minimum volume:  0.5 mL) of serum

Transport Temperature:  Refrigerate

Collection Instructions:  Avoid hemolysis, lipemia, or bacterially contaminated sera. Forward promptly. If there is a delay in transport of >48 hours, send specimen frozen in plastic vial.