Specimen Requirements

1. Draw blood in a blue-top (citrate) tube(s).

2. Spin down, remove plasma, spin plasma again, and place 0.5 mL of citrate platelet-poor plasma in plastic vial. (Glass vial is not acceptable.)

Note:  Double-centrifuged specimen is critical for accurate results as platelet contamination may cause spurious results.

3. Forward promptly.

Note:  1. Each coagulation assay requested should have its own vial.

2. If test cannot be performed immediately, freeze plasma in plastic vial, and send specimen frozen.