Which tube is used for typing blood?

The correct choice for blood typing is the yellow top tube. This tube typically contains a special additive, such as sodium polyanetholesulfonate (SPS), that helps to preserve the sample for microbiological testing, but more importantly, it is suitable for blood bank procedures, including blood typing. Proper tube selection is crucial because the additives in the other types of tubes can interfere with the serological tests required for accurate blood typing.

While the lavender top tube is used primarily for hematology tests, such as complete blood counts, it is not ideal for blood typing due to the presence of EDTA as an anticoagulant, which can affect the antibodies used in blood typing. The red top tube, which lacks additives, is generally used for serum tests and may not be as effectively suited for maintaining the integrity of blood typing samples. The light blue top tube is used for coagulation studies, and its contents can also interfere with blood typing. Thus, the yellow top tube is the most appropriate choice for this purpose.