What Tube for a BMP / CMP (basic or comprehensive metabolic panel)?
Gold-top SST or light green-top PST (lithium heparin).
- Additive
- Clot activator (SST also has gel)
- Inversions
- 5 times
- Order of draw
- #3 of 6
Lab-to-lab variation: Serum (SST) or lithium-heparin plasma (PST), by lab.
Collection and handling
- ARUP: separate serum or plasma from cells within 30 minutes and protect from light.
- Citrate, oxalate and fluoride tubes are not acceptable.
- Hemolysis falsely raises potassium and magnesium; hemolyzed specimens are rejected.
Exam tip
Potassium is the classic trap: hemolysis, prolonged tourniquet time, fist pumping and EDTA carryover can all raise it falsely.
Where it falls in the order of draw
- 1. Blood culture bottles (aerobic + anaerobic) (Culture media)
- 2. Light blue (3.2% sodium citrate)
- 3. Gold / red-gray (SST) or red (Clot activator (SST also has gel))
- 4. Green / light green (PST) (Lithium heparin (PST also has gel))
- 5. Lavender (or pink) (K2EDTA)
- 6. Gray (Sodium fluoride / potassium oxalate)
Full explanation in the order of draw guide.
Tube requirements differ between labs and assays. Always follow your own laboratory's collection manual.
Drill tubes and order of draw until they stick
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