Specimen Requirements

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Preferred

Plasma

Draw blood in a green-top (lithium heparin) tube. Label the specimen with the patient’s name (first and last), date of birth, date and time of draw and the phlebotomist’s initials. Spin down and send 1 mL of lithium heparin plasma refrigerated.

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. 

 Avoid capillary draw if possible.

Specimen stability:   
8 hours at room temperature
7 days refrigerated at 2-8°C
30 days when frozen at ≤ -20°C 

Minimum volume:    
1 mL

Specimen rejection criteria:

Hemolyzed or lipemic specimens are not acceptable.