Shipping Instructions

Ship specimen in amber vial or wrapped to protect from light.

Specimen Required

Patient Preparation:

Fasting: 12 hours, required; Infants should have specimen collected before next feeding

Supplies: Amber Frosted Tube, 5 mL (T915)

Collection Container/Tube:

Preferred: Red top

Acceptable: Serum gel

Submission Container/Tube: Amber vial

Specimen Volume: 2 mL Serum

Collection Instructions:

1. Within 2 hours of collection, centrifuge the specimen.

2. For red-top tubes:
Preferred: Immediately aliquot serum into an amber or light-protected plastic vial.

Acceptable: Serum may be on whole blood cells a maximum of 2 hours before aliquoting. Protect the collection tube from light.

3. For serum-gel tubes:

Preferred: Immediately aliquot serum into an amber or light-protected plastic vial.

Acceptable: Serum may be aliquoted into an amber or light-protected plastic vial within 24 hours of collection when kept at ambient temperature and protected from light or within 7 days of collection if kept refrigerated and protected from light.