Test Code HEPCRNAPCRQL Hepatitis C RNA Qualitative
Specimen Requirements
2 mL frozen plasma collected in PPT
potassium EDTA (white-top) tube
Alternative Specimen(s)
No additive (red-top) • SST® (red-top/plastic) •
EDTA (lavender-top) • Sodium heparin
(green-top) • 3.2% sodium citrate (light blue-top) •
ACD solution B (yellow-top)
SPECIMEN PROCESSING and HANDLING
Note: If blood is collected in a PPT tube, centrifuge within 6 hours of collection as before, but it is not necessary to transfer the plasma to aliquot tubes. Following centrifugation, a gel barrier maintains separation of plasma from cellular components during specimen transport and storage, and unlike standard vacutainer brand blood collection tubes, the PPT tube is plastic and hence the plasma can be shipped and stored frozen in the original tube.
TRANSPORT TEMPERATURE
Transport Temperature
Frozen
Specimen Stability
Room temperature: 2 hours
Refrigerated: 48 hours
Frozen: 90 days
PERFORMING LAB
Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute-San Juan Capistrano, CA
33608 Ortega Highway
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675-2042