One 7.5 mL serum separator tube (SST). Also acceptable: One 5 mL red top tube.
Handling:
Allow to clot, centrifuge and immediately separate serum from into a plastic vial. Refrigerate. Freeze at -20° C if specimen cannot be assayed within 7 days. Allow no more than three freeze/thaw cycles.
Stability:
8 hours ambient or 7 days refrigerated. Freeze ≤ -20° C for longer storage.
Standard Volume:
1.5 mL serum
Minimum Volume:
1 mL serum
Transport:
Refrigerated, or frozen on dry ice.
Rejection Criteria:
Plasma; gross lipemia; hemolysis; contaminated or heat-inactivated specimen; specimen frozen/thawed more than three times.