Specimen Requirements

Whole blood must arrive within 1 hour of draw. Testing to be completed within 4 hours of draw.
 

Specimen Type: Plasma

Container/Tube: Light-blue top (3.2% buffered sodium citrate, with yellow-striped label)

Specimen Volume: Full tube

Collection Instructions:

1. Tube must be filled to capacity.
2. Ratio of blood to anticoagulant is critical for valid coagulation results.
3. Send whole blood in original tube.
4. If patient is heparinized, tube must be spun down within 1 hour of draw.

If specimen will arrive at Logan Health Medical Center Laboratory >1 hour after draw, process specimen as follows:

• Spin for 10 minutes at 3,500 rpm (1,500 g).
• Remove plasma from cells and place in a clean, plastic vial.
• Centrifuge plasma again. Double-centrifuged specimen is critical for accurate results as platelet contamination may cause spurious results.
• Freeze and transport frozen if speicmen will be received > 3 hours after draw.
• Hemolyzed specimen is not acceptable.