What color is vacutainer tube?
Types of tubes
| Tube cap color or type | Additive |
|---|---|
| Gold (sometimes red and grey “tiger top”) | Clot activator and serum separating gel |
| Dark green | Sodium heparin (anticoagulant) |
| Mint green | Lithium heparin (anticoagulant) |
| Lavender (“purple”) | EDTA (chelator / anticoagulant) |
Why are blood collection tubes color-coded?
Vacutainer tubes are covered with a Color-coded plastic cap that indicates which additives the tube contains. These color indicators help the phlebotomist to easily select the tubes in which the blood should be drawn as per the tests that have to be performed.
What is the Red vacutainer used for?
Red-top tube, plastic This tube is a plastic Vacutainer containing a clot activator but no anticoagulants, preservatives, or separator material. It is used for collection of serum for selected laboratory tests as indicated.
Why are stoppers of the vacutainer tube color coded?
Vacutainer tubes have a color-coded plastic cap. The color code of the caps indicates the blood additives the tube contains. Additives are chemical substances that preserve the blood for processing in the laboratory. The additives include anticoagulants like EDTA, Sodium citrate and Heparin.
Which vacutainer tubes for what tests?
Blood Collection Tubes
| Tube cap color | Additive | Common laboratory tests |
|---|---|---|
| Lavender or pink | Potassium EDTA | Hematology and blood bank |
| Gray | Sodium fluoride, and sodium or potassium oxalate | Glucose (especially when testing will be delayed), blood alcohol, lactic acid |
Are vacutainer holders reusable?
To reuse BD Vacutainer® Pronto™ Holder, push white reset button. Pronto™ Holder is ready to accept new collection device. If not, press white reset button on holder. shield and colored needle cap, twist and remove white needle cap.