Understanding the Different Blood Collection Tube Colors: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals

Summary

  • Understanding the different blood collection tube colors and their corresponding tests can help healthcare professionals ensure accurate sample collection.
  • The most common phlebotomy blood collection tube colors in the United States include red, lavender, light blue, green, gray, and yellow.
  • Each tube color is designed to be used for specific types of tests to ensure accurate results and proper patient care.

Introduction

As a healthcare professional working in the United States, understanding the different phlebotomy blood collection tube colors and their corresponding tests is essential for accurate sample collection, proper patient care, and efficient laboratory processing. Each tube color is designed for specific types of tests based on the additives it contains. In this article, we will discuss the most common phlebotomy blood collection tube colors and the tests that are typically performed with each color.

Red Blood Collection Tubes

Red blood collection tubes are one of the most commonly used tubes in phlebotomy. These tubes do not contain any additives and are used for collecting blood samples for routine testing such as:

  1. Complete Blood Count (CBC)
  2. Blood Chemistry tests
  3. Blood typing

Lavender Blood Collection Tubes

Lavender blood collection tubes are typically used for collecting blood samples for hematological tests. The additive in lavender tubes is ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), which helps preserve blood cell morphology and prevent clotting. Common tests performed with lavender tubes include:

  1. Complete Blood Count (CBC)
  2. Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
  3. Hemoglobin A1C

Light Blue Blood Collection Tubes

Light blue blood collection tubes contain Sodium Citrate as an anticoagulant. These tubes are used for coagulation studies, as Sodium Citrate helps prevent blood from clotting by binding to calcium ions. Common tests performed with light blue tubes include:

  1. Prothrombin Time (PT)
  2. Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT)
  3. D-Dimer

Green Blood Collection Tubes

Green blood collection tubes contain Heparin as an Anticoagulant and are commonly used in chemistry tests and some blood gas determinations. Heparin inhibits thrombin formation, which helps prevent blood clotting. Tests commonly performed with green tubes include:

  1. Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP)
  2. Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
  3. Arterial Blood Gas (ABG)

Gray Blood Collection Tubes

Gray blood collection tubes are used for glucose testing as they contain Sodium Fluoride, which helps preserve Blood Glucose levels. These tubes are often used for glucose tolerance tests and diabetes monitoring. Common tests performed with gray tubes include:

  1. Glucose
  2. Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)
  3. Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbA1c)

Yellow Blood Collection Tubes

Yellow blood collection tubes contain a gel separator and are used for serum testing. The gel separator acts as a barrier between the serum and the clot, allowing for easy serum separation after centrifugation. Common tests performed with yellow tubes include:

  1. Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
  2. Lipid Panel
  3. Thyroid Function Panel

Conclusion

Understanding the different phlebotomy blood collection tube colors and their corresponding tests is crucial for healthcare professionals in the United States. By utilizing the appropriate tube color for specific tests, healthcare professionals can ensure accurate sample collection, reliable Test Results, and proper patient care. Familiarizing oneself with the common tube colors and their uses can streamline the phlebotomy process and contribute to efficient laboratory processing.

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