Answer :
Final answer:
Blood tests like WBC, RBC, and electrolyte levels require specific tubes: a lavender top tube for CBC tests, a green top tube for electrolytes, and microtainer tubes for capillary blood samples. The correct option is d) Microtainer tube.
Explanation:
For collecting blood by capillary action, such as in the case of WBC (White Blood Cell count), RBC (Red Blood Cell count), and Electrolyte levels, different colored tubes are used depending on the additives they contain and the tests being performed:
- Lavender top tube: Typically contains EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) which is an anticoagulant that binds calcium in the blood, preventing clotting. The lavender top tube is generally used for complete blood counts (CBC) including WBC and RBC counts.
- Gray top tube: Contains anticoagulants and glucose preservatives such as sodium fluoride, and it's commonly used for glucose testing as it prevents glycolysis.
- Green top tube: Containing heparin as an anticoagulant, it is used for various chemistry tests including electrolyte analysis and must be immediately centrifuged to separate plasma for testing.
- Microtainer tube: A small tube used for collecting capillary blood samples. It can have different additives or anticoagulants for various tests, including those for WBC, RBC, and electrolytes.
