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Flow morphometry to assess the red blood cell storage lesion
Diego A Sierra F1, Kathryn A Melzak2, Karin Janetzko3
1Department of Information Technology, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany.
Summary
Automated flow morphometry offers a rapid, unbiased method for analyzing red blood cell (RBC) changes during storage. This system accurately assesses RBC concentrate quality by quantifying spherocytes, crucial for transfusion safety.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Hematology
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Red blood cell (RBC) concentrates undergo storage lesion, altering morphology and biochemistry.
- Current methods for assessing RBC quality, like manual blood smears, are labor-intensive and subjective.
- Hemolysis is the primary criterion for RBC acceptability, but morphological changes also indicate quality decline.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a novel automated system for RBC morphology analysis under flow.
- To establish flow morphometry as a reliable method for assessing RBC storage lesion.
- To demonstrate the utility of spherocyte percentage as an indicator of RBC concentrate status.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a commercially available flow cell with conditions preventing RBC adhesion.
- Developed a fully automated system for high-throughput RBC morphological classification.
- Validated morphometry results against standard biochemical assays (hemolysis, ATP) for stored RBCs.
Main Results:
- The automated flow morphometry system provided rapid and unbiased classification of RBC morphology.
- Morphological changes, specifically the percentage of spherocytes, correlated with biochemical markers of RBC storage.
- The system successfully analyzed RBCs from 17 donors stored for up to 13 weeks.
Conclusions:
- Automated flow morphometry is a viable tool for assessing RBC quality during storage.
- Spherocyte percentage serves as a reliable indicator for estimating the status of RBC concentrates.
- This technology can improve the efficiency and objectivity of blood bank quality control procedures.
