The Microbiology Laboratory has changed the lithium heparin blood collection tube used for Quantiferon testing. This is to support the planned relocation of the Microbiology service to St James's Hospital, Leeds later this year, by aligning our blood collection consumables with those used by the Centre for Laboratory Medicine at Leeds.

The current 4.7 ml lithium heparin tube with beads has been replaced by a 7.5 ml beadless lithium heparin tube. The new tube does not require any changes to specimen collection, handling, storage, or transport and only a single tube is now required (minimum fill volume 4.5ml).

The 4.7 ml tube will continue to be accepted until Monday, 21st September 2026. After this date, samples collected in the old tube will be rejected due to the automated sample handling systems used at Leeds, which improve result quality and reduce musculoskeletal risks for laboratory staff by eliminated manual handling processes.

Please use your existing stock of the 4.7 ml tubes, ensuring that replacement orders for the new 7.5 ml tubes are placed in sufficient time before the transition date.

Please note that this change applies only to Quantiferon testing. All other tests requiring lithium heparin samples should continue to use the standard 4.7 ml lithium heparin tube with beads.

The new collection tube is shown in the main image and can be ordered through Central Pathology Stores using code 01.1608.001. All new orders will be fulfilled with this new tube.