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Blood samples, color coding of The Test Tubes

July 7, 2025HematologyLab Tests

Color coding of The Test Tubes

What is the color coding of the tubes for the blood samples?

Stopper tube Additives Outcome of additive Purpose of use Test tubes
  • Red
  • None
  • For serum
  1. Chemistry
  2. Serology
  3. Blood banking
color coding of the tubes for blood sample
  • Lavender
  • EDTA
  1. Anticoagulant for plasma
  2. Remove calcium and prevent clotting
  1. CBC
  2. CEA
  3. Best for hematology
  • Orange
  • Thrombin
  1. Accelerate clotting usually in 5 minutes, for serum formation
  2. Should be inverted 8 times
  1. All serum tests
  2. Chemistry
  • Light Blue
  • Sod. citrate
  1. anticoagulant binds calcium.
  2. Get blood or plasma
  1. Coagulation studies
  2. PT, APTT, factor assay
  • Gray
  • Na fluoride/K oxalate
  1. Inhibit glycolysis
  2. Anticoagulant, remove Ca++ to prevent clotting
  3. Get whole blood or plasma
  1. Glucose
  2. GTT
  3. Lactate
  • Green
  1. Na+ Heparin
  2. Lithium Heparin
  3. Ammonium Heparin
  1. Inhibit thrombin activation to prevent clotting.
  2. Get whole blood or plasma
  1. Ammonia,
  2. Carboxy Hb
  3. Lead
  4. Plasma chemistry
  • Yellow
Na+polyanetholesulfate
  1. Prevent blood from clotting
  2. Stabilize bacterial growth
  3. Invert the tube 8 times to prevent clotting
  • Blood culture
  • Glod
  1. Gel-separator
  2. Clot activator
  1. Clot activators shorten the time for clot formation
  2. The gel forms a separator between cells and serum
  3. Invert the tube 5 times and centrifuge after the clot formation
  1. Most chemistry tests
  2. Not good for blood banking
  • Light green
  1. Gel separator
  2. Lithium heparin
  1. Heparin prevents clotting
  2. The gel prevents cell contamination
  • Potassium determination
Blood tube coding
  • Black
  • Na + citrate

 

  1. Binds  Ca++
  2. 4:1 ratio of blood to anticoagulant
  • Westgreen ESR

Questions and answers:

Question 1: What is the purpose of red cap tubes??
Show answer
It is used for the serum
Question 2: What is the purpose of a yellow cap tube?
Show answer
It is used for culture purposes.
Possible References Used
Go Back to Hematology

Comments

Santosh Kumar Reply
October 24, 2021

All test tube

Dr. Riaz Reply
October 25, 2021

Would you mind explaining what is your question is?

Carrie A Zimmerman Reply
April 21, 2022

Please how do I find out diagnostic codes for each blood draw

Dr. Riaz Reply
April 22, 2022

There are so many sites; one is CDC coding for lab tests. Or you can develop your own codes for each test.

Manikant kumar Reply
July 23, 2022

Ye sab colour code in vial pdf download sir

Dr. Riaz Reply
July 23, 2022

Dear, I think you can remember the color codes for various blood samples.

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