Specimen HandlingQuestion 71 of 100
Unless a test specifies otherwise, at what temperature are routine blood specimens transported?
a.Frozen at minus 20 degrees Celsius
b.Refrigerated at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius
c.Warmed to 37 degrees Celsius
d.At ambient room temperature, roughly 15 to 30 degrees Celsius
Explanation
Most routine specimens travel at ambient room temperature unless the test specifically calls for chilling, freezing or warming. Routine refrigeration of unseparated blood raises potassium as it leaks from red cells. Freezing whole blood causes hemolysis, and warming is reserved for cold-sensitive analytes such as cryoglobulins.
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