Which blood collection tube is specifically used for blood cultures?

The yellow-top tube is specifically designed for blood cultures due to its formula which typically includes additives that promote the growth of microorganisms. Blood cultures are pivotal for diagnosing infections caused by bacteria or fungi present in the bloodstream. The yellow-top tube often contains broth media, such as sodium polyanethol sulfonate (SPS), which helps in inhibiting the action of antibiotics that may be in the patient’s system at the time of collection, thus allowing for accurate detection of pathogens.

In contrast, other tubes such as the red-top, lavender-top, and blue-top tubes serve different purposes. The red-top tube is mainly used for serum tests where no additives are needed. The lavender-top tube contains EDTA as an anticoagulant and is typically utilized for complete blood counts (CBC) and other hematological tests. The blue-top tube is used for coagulation studies because it contains sodium citrate as an anticoagulant. Therefore, the yellow-top tube's specific design and function make it the appropriate choice for blood culture collection.