Automation hematology Flashcards
BASIC COMPONENTS OF MOST HEMA ANALYZERS
Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Electrical systems
Aspirating unit, dispensers, dilutors, mixing chambers, aperture baths, flow cells, hemoglobinometer
Hydraulics in HEMA analyzers
Vacuum and pressure systems for operating valves and moving samples
Pneumatics in HEMA analyzers
Electrical systems in HEMA analyzers
Electronic analyzers, computing circuitry for data processing
ELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE principle
Cell counting
Origin of Electrical Impedance
Developed by Coulter in the 1950s
Most common methodology for cell counting
Electrical Impedance (Coulter Principle)
Radiofrequency (RF) in electrical impedance
Modification of DC impedance, measures conductivity, AKA alternating current
Cell counting in electrical impedance is based on the detection and measurement of changes in electrical impedance (resistance) produced by a particle as it passes through
Aperture
Impedance change during cell passage
Caused by non-conductive particles (cells) in an electrically conductive diluent
Pulse generation in electrical impedance
Proportional to the number of cells passing through the aperture
Pulse amplitude in electrical impedance
Indicates the cell’s volume
Radiofrequency (RF) in electrical impedance
Measures conductivity and changes in RF signal reflect cell interior density
Two-dimensional distribution cytogram
Plots RF conductivity and DC impedance of cells
Displays clusters of cells, representing concentration of a specific cell type in electrical impedance
Scatterplot
Also known as Electronic Resistance or Coulter Principle
Electrical impedance
Instrumental Error: Most common problem in cell counting, produces POSITIVE (+) ERROR
Aperture plugs
Instrumental Error: Caused by too vigorous mixing, produces POSITIVE (+) ERROR
Bubbles in the sample
Instrumental Error: Produces POSITIVE (+) ERROR
Extraneous electrical pulses
Instrumental Error: Produces NEGATIVE (-) ERROR
Excessive lysing of RBCs
Instrumental Error: Incorrect aperture current/threshold settings, may cause POSITIVE (+) or NEGATIVE (-) ERROR
Improper settings of aperture current/threshold
Specimen Error: May be counted as RBCs or WBCs
Giant platelets
Specimen Error: May be counted as platelets or RBCs, seen in leukemia therapy
Fragments of WBC cytoplasm
Specimen Error: May cause falsely elevated (↑) WBC counts
Some abnormal RBCs (e.g., sickle cells, hypochromic cells, target cells)
RBC histogram: RBC count range in fL
36 fL to 360 fL
RBC histogram curve shift right
RBCs larger than normal
RBC histogram curve shift left
RBCs smaller than normal
Bimodal RBC histogram curve indicates
Two populations of RBCs (e.g., post-transfusion, cold agglutinin disease, hemolytic anemia with schistocytes, mixed anemias)
RBC histogram: Minimum cell size measurable
24 fL
Cells between 24 to 36 fL in RBC histogram
Rejected as RBCs, not included in RBC count
Leukocytes in diluted RBC fluid
Statistically insignificant, unless leukocyte count is elevated
Instrument calibration for leukocytes in RBC histogram
Compensates for leukocytes’ presence
Effect of significantly elevated leukocyte count
Affects the erythrocyte histogram
Blood cell histograms y-axis
Approximate number of cells
Blood cell histograms x-axis
Cell size
Provide size distribution of the different cell populations
Blood cell histogram
Provide a count and plot of cells larger than 45 fL in aperture bath
WBC histograms
Normal first peak (45-90 fL) in WBC histogram
Small mononuclear cells (e.g., lymphocytes)
Normal second peak (90-160 fL) in WBC histogram
Minor population of large mononuclear cells (e.g., monocytes); may indicate abnormal cells in leukemia
Normal third peak (160-450 fL) in WBC histogram
Normal mature granulocytes
Region code (R) flags in WBC histogram
Signal irregularities in WBC distribution, appear next to error differential parameters
R1 region warning in WBC histogram
Increased interference left of lymphocyte peak (approx. 35 fL); caused by sickled RBCs, nucleated RBCs, or giant/clumped platelets
R2 region warning in WBC histogram
Excessive overlap of cell populations at lymphocyte/mononuclear boundary (approx. 90 fL); caused by atypical lymphocytes, blasts, or plasma cells
R3 region warning in WBC histogram
Excessive overlap at mononuclear/granulocyte boundary (approx. 160 fL); caused by immature granulocytes (bands, metamyelocytes)
R4 region warning in WBC histogram
Extension of cell distribution past the upper end of the WBC threshold (approx. 450 fL); caused by very high granulocyte population
RM error code in WBC histogram
Indicates multiple region overlap
H flag in histograms
Parameter value is higher than the set normal limit
L flag in histograms
Parameter value is lower than the set normal limit
Platelet histograms derived from electrical impedance method
Obtained from volume sizes of 2 to 20 fL
Platelet counting in platelet histograms
Occurs in the RBC aperture