How should a blood specimen be stored if it cannot be processed immediately?

When a blood specimen cannot be processed immediately, it is crucial to store it properly to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the results. Storing the specimen in a refrigerated environment helps to preserve the cellular components and biochemical properties of the blood for a certain period, as specified by laboratory guidelines. Refrigeration slows down metabolic processes and minimizes the degradation of analytes, which can lead to inaccurate test results if the specimen is not processed promptly.

Laboratory guidelines often provide specific time limits for how long blood specimens can be refrigerated before they must be processed, underscoring the importance of this practice in specimen handling. This careful storage method ensures that the sample remains viable for testing and yields reliable laboratory results.