Oxyhemoglobin, Venous (Blood Gas)

Tube Type = Black Syringe or White Syringe

Tube Type

Test ID LAB5309
EPIC Order Oxyhemoglobin, Venous
CPT Code(s) 84311
Group/Individual Test Individual
Laboratory Core Laboratory-Blood Gas
Tube Station 31
Specimen Routine: 1 mL whole blood in 3cc syringe w/ lyophilized heparin in BG Kit or SafePICO Collection Kit. PLEASE SPECIFY source. See Comments
Micro: 0.5 mL whole blood in 1cc syringe w/ lyophilized heparin in BG Kit or full heparinized capillary tube. PLEASE SPECIFY source. See Comments
Stability  

Room Temperature/Refrigerated: 30 minutes

Frozen: NO
Availability Routine: 24 hrs/day
STAT: Yes
Turnaround Time 10 minutes
Reference Range Normal: 40-85%
Comments
  • Blood collection tubes are not acceptable.
  • Deliver Immediately to Blood Gas lab. The time between specimen collection and analysis should not exceed 30 minutes.
  • Syringes with needles attached will NOT be accepted.
  • Blood Gas syringes may be obtained from Central Distribution.

  • Heparinized capillary samples can be analyzed if at least 200 µL of clot-free blood is present.

  • Oxyhemoglobin represents the fraction of oxygenated hemoglobin in relation to the total hemoglobin present, including non-oxygen-binding hemoglobins. In healthy individuals, oxyhemoglobin and oxygen saturation are approximately equal. In the presence of dyshemoglobins, oxyhemoglobin can be considerably lower than oxygen saturation. Although the oxygen saturation often remains within the reference limits, the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood may be severely decreased.

Reviewed by J. Carr on January 15, 2026

UNC Hospitals
McLendon Clinical Laboratories
101 Manning Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514