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Estimation of Total Platelet Count From Peripheral Blood Smear Needs a Correction Factor
Nageswar Sahu1, Madhusmita Mohanty1, Amit K Adhya2
1Pathology, Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, IND.
Cureus
|September 28, 2022
Summary
A new standard method using a multiplication factor of 9.4 x 10^3 can accurately estimate total platelet counts (TPC) on peripheral blood smears, aiding laboratory cross-checking.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Clinical Pathology
- Laboratory Medicine
Background:
- Automated cell counters often produce inaccurate total platelet counts (TPC), leading to clinical confusion.
- Manual estimation of platelet counts on peripheral blood smears is common but lacks standardization.
- Discrepancies in manual methods cause variability in results across laboratories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a standardized method for estimating platelet counts on peripheral blood smears.
- To establish a reliable multiplication factor for visual platelet count estimation.
Main Methods:
- Determined the ratio of automated TPC to platelets per oil immersion field in 100 blood samples.
- Calculated a mean 'multiplication factor' from these ratios.
- Validated the factor on a separate set of 100 blood samples, comparing smear estimates to automated counts.
Main Results:
- The derived multiplication factor was 9.4 x 10^3.
- Estimation using this factor showed excellent agreement with automated cell counter results.
- The method's reliability decreases with very low platelet counts.
Conclusions:
- The multiplication factor of 9.4 x 10^3 provides a standardized and accurate method for estimating platelet counts on peripheral smears.
- This method, with adjustments for field size, can improve diagnostic consistency.
- It is recommended for use in clinical laboratories, with caution for samples exhibiting thrombocytopenia.
