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The Necessity of Using Heparin in the UltraTag RBC Kit When Tagging Blood for a Nuclear Medicine Study
Sarah R Pigmon1, Kara D Weatherman2, Nicholas C Brehl3
1Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; and pigmons@umail.iu.edu.
The purpose of this research was to evaluate the need to use heparin when preparing an UltraTag red blood cell (RBC) kit for a nuclear medicine study.
The purpose of this research was to evaluate the need to use heparin when preparing an UltraTag red blood cell (RBC) kit for a nuclear medicine study.
Methods:
Nonheparinized blood samples (n = 15) and heparinized blood samples (n = 15) were added to UltraTag RBC kits. The samples were examined for macroscopic blood clotting and microscopic platelet clumping. As a control, samples with heparin (n = 15) and without heparin (n = 15) were used to help evaluate the effectiveness of the anticoagulant properties within the UltraTag RBC kit (sodium citrate) and whether those properties played a role in preventing clots or clumps. To detect clotting, the wooden applicator stick method was used. To detect clumping, blood smears were evaluated using a light microscope. The two samples were compared for presence of clots and clumps. Fisher exact testing was used to evaluate the significance of the data.
Results:
For the UltraTag RBC group, 2 of the 15 nonheparinized samples clotted and none of the 15 heparinized samples clotted; for the control group, 2 of the 15 nonheparinized samples clotted and none of the 15 heparinized samples clotted. For the Ultra-Tag RBC group, 3 of the 15 nonheparinized samples clumped and 3 of the 15 heparinized samples clumped; for the control group, 15 of the 15 nonheparinized samples clumped and 10 of the 15 heparinized samples clumped.
Conclusion:
When heparin is not used, the Ultra-Tag RBC kit is more likely to form clots. Heparin should always be used when preparing an Ultra-Tag RBC kit for a nuclear medicine study.
