Specimen HandlingQuestion 69 of 100
A gel serum separator tube has already been centrifuged and the serum is above the gel. A repeat test is requested. What should be done?
a.Recentrifuge the original tube to obtain more serum
b.Shake the tube to remix the serum with the cells
c.Test from the serum already above the gel, or aliquot it into a labeled tube
d.Freeze the whole tube and thaw it before testing
Explanation
Once the gel barrier has formed, the serum above it is stable and can be tested or aliquotted into a properly labeled tube. Recentrifuging a gel tube can force cellular contents into the serum and falsely raise potassium. Remixing serum with cells or freezing the tube with cells still present destroys specimen integrity.
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