Note that you need to take a separate sample for each pathology discipline: immunology and haematology need separate specimens.
Specimen bottles and turnaround times following receipt of samples.
|
TEST |
BOTTLE |
TIMES |
URGENT |
|
FBC |
EDTA (purple top) |
5 hours |
60 min |
|
Film examination |
EDTA (purple top) |
2 days |
2 hours |
|
Blood parasites |
EDTA (purple top) |
1 day |
2 hours |
|
Reticulocytes |
EDTA (purple top) |
1 day |
45 min |
|
Glandular fever |
EDTA (purple top) |
1 day |
60 min |
|
ESR |
Black top citrate |
1 day |
90 min |
|
Plasma Viscosity |
EDTA (purple top) |
1 day |
Not Done |
|
Sickle screen |
EDTA (purple top) |
1 day |
60 min |
|
Hb variant analysis |
EDTA (purple top) |
7 days |
Not Done |
|
HbA2 and HbF |
EDTA (purple top) |
7 days |
Not Done |
|
Blood Coagulation |
|||
|
Coagulation screen |
Citrate (blue top) |
4 hours |
90 min |
|
D-Dimer |
Citrate (blue top) |
4 hours |
90 min |
|
Thrombophilia screen |
3/4 x Citrate (blue top) + 1 x clotted (red top) |
4 weeks |
Not Done |
|
Lupus anticoagulant |
2 x Citrate (blue top) |
2 weeks |
Not Done |
|
Cross-match / group & antibody screen |
6ml pink top EDTA + purple top EDTA |
Urgent group specific Cross-matched |
15 min 45 min |
|
Cold agglutinin titre - by arrangement only |
6ml pink top EDTA + purple top EDTA |
2 days |
Not Done |
|
Heparin induced thrombocytopaenia (HIT) |
10ml clotted (red top) + 6ml pink top EDTA + purple top EDTA |
Up to 2 days (exc. w/kends) |
Not Done |
|
Obstetrics |
|||
|
DCT |
6ml pink top EDTA + purple top EDTA |
Routine 24 Hr |
|
|
Feotal Cell Count |
6ml pink top EDTA + purple top EDTA |
|
|
|
Kleihauer (Maternal + Cord Blood) |
6ml pink top EDTA + purple top EDTA |
|
|
|
Haemolysin screen |
Clotted (Red top) |
|
|
|
Immunology |
|||
|
Rheumatoid Factor |
Clotted (red/yellow top) |
2 Weeks |
Not Done |
|
Antinuclear antibodies (positive samples sent away) |
Clotted (red/yellow top) |
2 Weeks |
Not Done |
|
Double stranded DNA antibodies (sent away) |
Clotted (red/yellow top) |
2 Weeks |
Not Done |
|
ENA screening (sent away) |
Clotted (red/yellow top) |
2 Weeks |
Not Done |
|
Centromere (sent away) |
Clotted (red/yellow top) |
2 Weeks |
Not Done |
|
Auto antibody screen (LKS) (positive samples sent away) |
Clotted (red/yellow top) |
2 Weeks |
Not Done |
|
IgG & IgM Cardiolipin antibodies (sent away) |
Clotted (red top) |
2 Weeks |
Not Done |
|
Coeliac screen (sent away) |
Clotted (red/yellow top) |
2 Weeks |
Not Done |
Paediatric Specimens
Prolonged jaundice screen: 1 ml in EDTA for FBC, film, reticulocytes, Coombs test, red cell enzymes (G6PD).
ESR - 1.6ml in Paediatric ESR container
Cross-match (UR number must be on specimen) 1 ml EDTA or clotted.
Coagulation screen - citrated minimum volume 1.3ml.