System and Method for Centrifuging Using an Anti-Parallel Rotor Attachment

A centrifuge having a rotor attachment for preparing a small-format blood collection tube after blood collection for handling and analysis. The rotor attachment may include two or more small-container holding orifices designed to hold each container in a plane that is normal (or near-normal) to an axis of rotation during centrifuging. That is, the angle at which each small-format container is held during a centrifugation procedure is low (e.g., zero or near-zero). Having a rotor attachment that imparts a small angle or near-zero angle during centrifugation results is solutions being separated in layers that are aligned normal to a vertical axis of the small-format container. This separation into layers in the small-format container is more robust during handling and transport as a mid-level gel exhibits strong cohesion to the inner walls of the small-format containers, thereby maintaining separation between red blood cells as collected and a resident serum.