[Sample technique in cytology (author's transl)]

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Cytopathology

Context:

• Traditional clinical cytology relies on subjective judgment for cell percentage evaluation.
• This method faces challenges in reliability and suitability for accurate blood smear analysis.

Purpose:

• To address the limitations of subjective sampling in clinical cytology.
• To propose an empirical, standardized method for differential blood counts.

Summary:

• A new method for differential blood counts involves systematic sampling of microscope fields.
• It requires a coefficient of variation below 0.1 and counting over 1,000 cells for reliable estimates.
• Narrower smears (10 mm) are recommended for improved accuracy.

Impact:

• This study offers a more objective and reliable approach to blood smear analysis.
• It paves the way for automated systems to perform consistent cell estimations.