Specimen Requirements and Processing

Patient Preparation

Patient should refrain from taking vitamins, or mineral herbal supplements for at least one week before sample collection

Preferred Specimen(s)

0.5 mL packed RBC cells collected in an EDTA (lavender-top) tube or sodium heparin (royal blue-top) tube

Alternative Specimen(s)

1 mL whole blood collected in: EDTA (lavender-top) tube, EDTA (royal blue-top) tube, or sodium heparin (royal blue-top) tube

Minimum Volume

0.2 mL RBCs • 0.5 mL whole blood

Collection Instructions

Centrifuge to separate plasma from RBCs and discard plasma. Transfer RBCs to a plastic transfer vial from a Quest Diagnostics (trace-element and metal-free) collection kit or transfer to a transport tube.

Do not centrifuge whole blood specimen.