What kind of specimen does the lavender tube yield?

The lavender tube is primarily used for the collection of whole blood. This type of tube contains an anticoagulant, usually EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), which prevents blood from clotting. As a result, when blood is drawn into the lavender tube, it remains in its liquid state, allowing for the collection of whole blood. This is particularly important for various hematology tests, such as complete blood counts (CBC), where the analysis of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in their natural, unseparated state is necessary.

While plasma is derived from whole blood after it has been centrifuged and the cells have been separated, the lavender tube itself is designed to collect and maintain whole blood until it can be processed. Therefore, the correct interpretation of what a lavender tube yields is indeed whole blood.