One 7.5 mL serum separator tube (SST) or one 5 mL red top tube. Also acceptable for chemistry portion of panel: One 4.5 mL plasma separator tube (PST).
Handling:
Allow SST or red top tube specimen to clot, centrifuge and separate serum from cells within one hour of collection using a refrigerated centrifuge, if possible. Serum for PTH should be kept refrigerated. If testing cannot be performed within 8 hours, freeze within 8 hours of collection. Allow no more than one freeze/thaw cycle. Serum for chemistry protion of this panel should be kept refrigerated.
Stability:
Chemistry portion of this study: Serum stable 24 hours ambient, 7 days refrigerated, or indefinitely frozen. PTH portion of this study: Serum stable 8 hours refrigerated or 2 months frozen at –20° C.
Standard Volume:
PTH: 1 mL serum. CHEMISTRY TESTS for PTH STUDY: 1 mL serum.
Minimum Volume:
PTH: 0.5 mL serum. CHEMISTRY TESTS for PTH STUDY: 0.5 mL serum.
Transport:
PTH specimen must be refrigerated if received in laboratory within 8 hours of collection; or frozen on dry ice. See collection and handling instructions above.
Rejection Criteria:
Specimen not collected, processed or stored according to protocol; gross lipemia or hemolysis; specimen frozen and thawed more than once; refrigerated specimen received in laboratory more than 8 hours after collection.