Specimen Requirements

Serum

Draw blood in a gold-top (serum separater ) gel tube from a fasting patient (4 hours preferred). Label the specimen with the patient's name, date of birth, date and time of draw and the phlebotomist's intials. Spin down and send 2 mL of serum refrigerated.

Notes:

1. Patient should be drawn in the morning (circadian rhythm affects iron).

2. Specimen should be drawn before patient is given therapeutic iron or blood transfusion. Iron determinations on patients who have had a blood transfusion should be delayed 3 days.

Specimen stability:

4 days at room temperature

7 days refrigerated at 2-8°C

2 months when stored at ≤ -20°C 

Minimum volume:    
1 mL

Specimen rejection criteria:

Hemolyzed specimens are not acceptable