Serum-separating tube Serum-separating tube Serum-separating tubes, also known as serum separator tubes or SSTs, are used in medical clinical chemistry tests requiring blood serum. SSTs are sometimes called "marble-top tubes," "tiger-tops," or "gold-topped tubes", referring to the stoppers which are either gold, red with a gold ring on top, or marbled red and grey. Marble-top tubes are also referred to as "tiger-tops" in some clinics. SPS tubes have a paler colour, sometimes leading confusion; these are known as "yellow tops" not "gold". Trademarked versions include Covidien "Corvac" tubes. They contain a special gel that separates blood cells from serum, as well as
Dilute Russell's viper venom time specificity than the aPTT test for the detection of lupus anticoagulant, because it is not influenced by deficiencies or inhibitors of clotting factors VIII, IX or XI as the venom only activates factors V and X. Variations in the test can affect the results. The dRVVT is one component of a workup of a suspected antiphospholipid antibody, the other component being the serological testing for anticardiolipin antibodies and anti-β2 glycoprotein-I antibodies using ELISA technology. The Sapporo criteria require at least one of the above laboratory tests to be positive and the patient to have at least one clinical manifestation of