Specimen Requirements

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Preferred:
Plasma:
Draw blood in a green-top (lithium heparin) tube. Spin down and send 1 mL of lithium heparin plasma refrigerated. Label the specimen with the patient’s name (first and last), date of birth, date and time of draw, phlebotomist’s initials, and as plasma. Hemolyzed or lipemic specimens are not acceptable.

Alternate:
Serum
Draw blood in a gold-top serum separator gel tube.  Label the specimen with the patient’s name (first and last), date of birth, date and time of draw, phlebotomist’s initials, and as serum. Spin down and send 1 mL of serum refrigerated. Hemolyzed or lipemic specimens are not acceptable.
 

Specimen stability:

8 hours at room temperature when spun

7 days at 2-8°C

30 days at ≤ -20°C

Minimum volume:    1 mL