How we build LabLookup
LabLookup is a reference for lab specimen requirements: which tube, how much, what order, which code, and why a sample gets rejected. This page explains where that data comes from, how it is verified, and what LabLookup is not.
LabLookup is an educational reference for specimen collection, not medical advice. It does not interpret results or diagnose conditions. For what a result means for a patient, talk with a qualified clinician.
What the data covers
LabLookup records the logistics of collecting a specimen correctly. It does not hold reference ranges or result interpretation. Per test, per lab, it covers:
- Collection tube
- The stopper color and additive a lab requires for the test, shown as the primary tube plus alternates the lab lists.
- Fill volume
- Both the preferred and the minimum volume the lab states, so a short draw can be judged before it is sent.
- Order of draw
- Where the tube falls in the CLSI GP41 venipuncture sequence, to prevent additive carryover between tubes.
- Ordering code
- The lab’s own order code for the test, so the right test is ordered the first time.
- Handling & rejection
- Centrifuge, temperature, light and time sensitivity, and the criteria a lab uses to reject a specimen.
Common questions
What is LabLookup?
LabLookup is a reference tool for lab specimen requirements. For a given test it shows the collection tube, the fill volume, the CLSI order of draw, the ordering code, and the handling and rejection criteria, compared across major labs such as Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp, and BioReference. It is built for the clinicians, medical assistants, and phlebotomy staff who order and collect specimens, so that fewer samples are rejected for the wrong tube or volume.
Where does LabLookup get its data?
The requirement values come verbatim from each lab’s own published specimen collection manuals and directories of service. LabLookup records what the lab itself states for a test, per lab, rather than a single blended value, because requirements genuinely differ between labs. Draw order and tube color follow the CLSI GP41 venipuncture standard.
How does LabLookup verify its information?
Each lab’s stated values are entered once, verbatim, and a nurse practitioner reviews them against the source before they are marked verified and shown publicly. Volumes and specimen class are then derived deterministically from that verbatim text by code, not re-typed by hand, so there is a single source of truth per lab. Values still under review are not shown as verified.
Why do lab test requirements vary between labs?
Different labs run different analyzers and assay methods, so the required tube additive, minimum volume, and handling can differ for the same named test. That is exactly why LabLookup shows each lab’s own requirement side by side instead of asserting one universal answer.
Is LabLookup medical advice?
No. LabLookup is an educational specimen-requirements reference. It does not interpret results, diagnose conditions, or recommend treatment. Questions about what a result means for a patient should be directed to a qualified clinician.
How verification works
Every published value follows the same path. A lab’s stated requirement is entered once, verbatim, from its own specimen collection manual or directory of service. A nurse practitioner reviews it against that source. Only then is it marked verified and shown on public pages. Fill volumes and whether a specimen is blood or another type are derived from the verbatim text by code, so nothing is re-typed and there is one source of truth per lab. Draw order and tube color follow the CLSI GP41 standard.
Values still in review are not presented as verified. Where a source has not yet been attached to a value, that value is held back rather than shown as confirmed.
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