
What are SST tubes?
There are two kinds of SST™ tubes. One tube has a Gold stopper and the other has a Red-Gray Marble stopper. These tubes have a clot activator on the glass and a polymer gel as the separator. These tubes are used to separate the blood cells from the serum. The tube must be inverted five times following blood collection.
What is the difference between the PST™ and SST™ Vacutainer® blood collection tubes?
What is the Difference Between the Chemicals in the PST™ and SST™ Vacutainer® Blood Collection Tubes? The Plasma Separator Tube, also referred to as PST™, contains lithium heparin and plasma separator gel; whereas, the Serum Separator Tube, also referred to as SST™, contains a clot activator and a serum separator gel.
What is the color of a blood tube in a lab?
Blood Tube Color Chart for specimens submitted to University of Colorado Hospital Laboratory GOLD or RED W/GEL–SERUM SEPARATOR (SST) GREEN WITH GEL – LITHIUM HEPARIN (LiHep) LAVENDER – EDTA (Lav EDTA)
What color is the stopper on a blood tube?
One tube has a Gold stopper and the other has a Red-Gray Marble stopper. These tubes have a clot activator on the glass and a polymer gel as the separator. These tubes are used to separate the blood cells from the serum.

What does SST tube look like?
SSTs are sometimes called "marble-top tubes", "tiger-tops", or "gold-topped tubes", referring to the stoppers which are either gold, red with a gold ring on top, or marbled red and grey. Marble-top tubes are also referred to as "tiger-tops" in some clinics.
What is the SST tube used for?
This tube is used for collecting serum or clotted whole blood specimens. This tube should be used for all drug levels. Serum Separator Tube (SST) (Tiger Top): Does not contain an anticoagulant but contains a clot activator and serum separator gel. This tube is used for collecting serum.
What color top is SST?
Gold-topGold-top serum separator tube (SST) This tube contains a clot activator and serum gel separator – used for various chemistry, serology, and immunology tests.
What lab tube is SST?
BD Vacutainer® SST™ Tubes contain spray-coated silica to aid in clotting and a polymer gel for serum separation. Samples processed in these tubes are used for serum determinations in chemistry, blood donor screening and infectious disease testing.
Are all SST tubes the same?
There are two kinds of SST™ tubes. One tube has a Gold stopper and the other has a Red-Gray Marble stopper. These tubes have a clot activator on the glass and a polymer gel as the separator. These tubes are used to separate the blood cells from the serum.
What is the difference between SST and PST tubes?
SST/tiger tops contain a clot activator and gel separator, used to separate serum from blood products. Along with the gel separator, PST collection tubes also contain an anticoagulant additive, used to separate plasma from blood.
What is SST in phlebotomy?
Serum separator tube (SST) contains a. gel at the bottom to separate blood cells. from serum on centrifugation.
What blood tube colors are for which test?
Blood Collection TubesTube cap colorAdditiveRed or gold (mottled or "tiger" top used with some tubes)Serum tube with or without clot activator or gelGreenSodium or lithium heparin with or without gelLavender or pinkPotassium EDTAGraySodium fluoride, and sodium or potassium oxalate1 more row
What is the purple blood tube for?
The purple top tube provides blood for infectious disease tests and ascertaining important data such as ABO/Rh (blood type), as well as whether the blood is positive or negative for cytomegalovirus (CMV), HIV, hepatitis, and West Nile virus, to name a few.
When should a SST blood tube be mixed?
Mix. Immediately after collection, before clotting can occur, gently mix the blood collection tube by inverting 8-10 times.
How long does an SST tube take to clot?
30 minutesClotting instructions with minimum clotting time recommendations: Non-additive tubes (red stoppers)-60 minutes. SST tubes-30 minutes.
What blood tube colors are for which test?
Blood Collection TubesTube cap colorAdditiveRed or gold (mottled or "tiger" top used with some tubes)Serum tube with or without clot activator or gelGreenSodium or lithium heparin with or without gelLavender or pinkPotassium EDTAGraySodium fluoride, and sodium or potassium oxalate1 more row