Revision miscellaneous

Question 1

What is the order of draw for blood bottles?

Answer 1

Blue 
Yellow 
Purple 
Pink 
Grey

Question 2

What is the purple blood bottle used for?

Answer 2

Haematology tests - contains EDTA

FBC
ESR
Blood film for abnormal cells or malaria parasites
Reticulocytes 
Monospot for EBV
HbA1C for diabetic control 
PTH

Question 3

What is the pink blood bottle used for?

Answer 3

Whole blood samples being sent to transfusion lab - anticoagulant EDTA

Group and save
Crossmatch
Direct Coomb’s test

Question 4

What is the blue bottle used for?

Answer 4

Used for haematology test involving clotting tests - contains sodium citrate

Coagulation screen - PT, APTT, TT, fibrinigen
D-dimer
INR
APTR
Anti-Xa assay
Specific clotting factors - factor VIII, IX, VWF
Thrombophilia screen

Question 5

What is the yellow bottle used for?

Answer 5

Tests requiring separated serum for analysis - silica particles

Biochem: 
U&Es 
CRP
LFTs
amylase assay
bone profile 
magnesium assay
Fe studies 
lipid profile
TFTs 
vitamins 
troponins 
CK 
urate 
serum osmolality 

Endo: 
beta-hCG
calcitonin 
cortisol 
EPO
sex hormones 
GH
IGF-1 

Tumour marker:
PSA
LDH

Toxicology: 
ethanol
cannnabis 
opiates 
benzodiazepines 

Drug levels:
paracetamol
salicylates 
lithium 
gentamicin 

Immunology tests: 
Ig levels
complement levels 
autoantibody screen 
rheumatoid factor 
thyroid antibodies

Question 6

What is the grey bottle used for?

Answer 6

Biochemistry tests for whole blood for analysis - contains anticoagulant

Glucose
Lactate
Blood ethanol

Question 7

What is the red bottle used for?

Answer 7

Biochemistry tests - contains silica particles

Hormones
Toxicology 
Drug levels 
Bacterial and viral serology 
Antibodies

Question 8

What is the dark green bottle used for?

Answer 8

Biochemistry - contains sodium heparin

Ammonia
Insulin 
Renin and aldosterone 
Gut hormones 
Amino acids 
Homocysteine