In which type of tube is Lithium Heparin found?

In which type of tube is Lithium Heparin found?

• A. PST
• B. EDTA
• C. Serum separator
• D. None of the above

Answer: (A)

Lithium Heparin is an anticoagulant used in blood collection tubes to prevent clotting during the testing process. It is specifically found in the Plasma Separator Tubes (PST), which are the tubes designed to collect plasma for various laboratory tests. The PST contains a gel that separates the plasma from the formed elements of blood after centrifugation, allowing for easy collection of the plasma for analysis. In contrast, EDTA tubes are primarily used as an anticoagulant for hematology tests and do not contain Lithium Heparin. The serum separator tubes, while also used for specimen collection, typically contain a different type of additive, such as a clot activator or a gel for serum separation, but not specifically Lithium Heparin. Therefore, the tube that contains Lithium Heparin is the Plasma Separator Tube, making the identification of this tube necessary for phlebotomy practice and proper specimen handling.

Lithium Heparin is an anticoagulant used in blood collection tubes to prevent clotting during the testing process. It is specifically found in the Plasma Separator Tubes (PST), which are the tubes designed to collect plasma for various laboratory tests. The PST contains a gel that separates the plasma from the formed elements of blood after centrifugation, allowing for easy collection of the plasma for analysis.

In contrast, EDTA tubes are primarily used as an anticoagulant for hematology tests and do not contain Lithium Heparin. The serum separator tubes, while also used for specimen collection, typically contain a different type of additive, such as a clot activator or a gel for serum separation, but not specifically Lithium Heparin. Therefore, the tube that contains Lithium Heparin is the Plasma Separator Tube, making the identification of this tube necessary for phlebotomy practice and proper specimen handling.