Lavender top plastic tube is assigned to Hematology tests Hemoglobin/Hematocrit (H&H), while top tube SST (serum separator tube) is for Basic Metabolic Panal (BMP).
View PLASTIC TUBE TOP COLOR AND ORDER OF DRAW table for reference.
To prevent contamination of tubes with additives from other tubes it is important to draw the tubes in a SPECIFIC order called "the order of the draw".
For example, if the additive in the purple stopper tube contaminates the green stopper tube this would cause a falsely decreased calcium and increased potassium.
The sequence of collection of evacuated tubes in a multi-draw should be in this order:
1- Sterile/Blood cultures (yellow top or bottles)
2- Royal Blue - red label for trace metal analysis
3-Light Blue coagulation tube
4- Red - Non-Additive
5- Red Gel separator tube (speckled or “tiger” top)
6- Green (heparin)
7- Green/Gray mottled Plasma Separator Tube (PST) with heparin
8- Lavender/purple top and/or pink (EDTA)
9- Gray top (Oxalate/fluoride tube)
To get additional information, visit UMICH.edu - Department of Pathology
Get Tips on Blood Testing from Lab Tests Online.