Common Uses Of Vacuum Blood Collection Tubes

Red cap tube: dry vacuum tube

The most commonly used test tube for serum biochemical and immunological testing during blood collection. The inner wall is evenly coated with silicone oil to prevent the wall from hanging. It uses the principle of natural blood coagulation to make blood coagulate. After the serum is separated, it can be centrifuged for testing.

Orange cap  tube: Coagulation tube

It is mostly used in emergency biochemical tests. Because of the addition of a coagulant that can activate fibrin, soluble fibrin can be turned into insoluble fibrin polymer, and then a stable fibrin clot can be formed. Generally, let it stand for 5 minutes after blood sampling The blood coagulates and can be tested by centrifugation.

Yellow cap tube: inert separation gel accelerating tube

It is highly praised for its stability. It is an inert separating gel which acts as an isolation on the basis of the coagulation tube. After centrifugation, this separation gel can completely separate the liquid components (serum) and solid components (blood cells) in the blood and completely accumulate in the center of the test tube to form a barrier, and remain stable within 48 hours. It should be noted that the blood should be inverted and mixed immediately after the blood is collected, and left to stand for 30 minutes and centrifuged. Because of its high price, it is often used for the detection of thyroid function, tumor markers, PCR and hormone levels.

Green cap tube: heparin anticoagulant tube

We often use this heparin-added anticoagulant tube when we detect trace elements for children, because heparin can prevent the formation of thrombin and the aggregation of platelets. However, it should be noted that the sodium heparin tube cannot be used when detecting sodium ions in the specimen; this tube also cannot be used for white blood cell counting and classification, because heparin can cause white blood cell aggregation.

Purple cap tube: EDTA anticoagulation tube

This beautiful test tube is the hero of the hematology system test, because the ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in it can effectively chelate the calcium ions in the blood sample, remove the calcium from the reaction site, block and stop The endogenous or exogenous coagulation process prevents the specimen from clotting, but it can make the lymphocytes appear flower-shaped nucleus, and can also stimulate the EDTA-dependent aggregation of platelets. Therefore, it cannot be used for coagulation experiments and platelet function tests. Generally, we invert and mix the blood immediately after the blood is collected, and the sample needs to be mixed before the test, without centrifugation.

Blue cap tube: coagulation test tube

Since EDTA tubes cannot be used for coagulation experiments, what is the use for coagulation experiments? This is the blue test tube with sodium citrate that I want to introduce. Sodium citrate acts as an anticoagulant by chelating with calcium ions in the blood sample. Since the ratio of anticoagulant to blood should be 1:9, it is necessary to ensure a sufficiently accurate amount of 2 mL to ensure the reliability of the test results. Immediately after blood sampling, invert and mix well to avoid coagulation.

Black cap tube: erythrocyte sedimentation rate test tube

Similar to the coagulation test, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate test tube needs to use 3.2% sodium citrate tube, and 2 mL of blood needs to be collected to ensure that the ratio of anticoagulant to blood is 1:4, because if the ratio of anticoagulant is too high, it will It will cause blood dilution and quick erythrocyte sedimentation rate. After blood collection, it should be inverted and mixed immediately to avoid clotting.

Gray cap tube: blood glucose tube

Another kind of test tube is this kind of test tube used to monitor blood sugar. It contains weak anticoagulant potassium oxalate or sodium fluoride, which plays a good role in preventing the degradation of blood sugar. It is an excellent preservative for blood sugar and needs to be used slowly. Invert and mix well. It should be noted that it cannot be used for the determination of urea by the urease method, nor can it be used for the detection of alkaline phosphatase and amylase.