Simultaneous reticulocyte and platelet counting on a clinical flow cytometer

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Clinical Immunology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Laser flow cytometry is a versatile tool for clinical immunofluorescence and hematologic analyses.
• Automated enumeration of reticulocytes and platelets is a key application in hematology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To clinically evaluate a fluorescence laser flow cytometer method for automated reticulocyte and platelet enumeration.
• To assess the accuracy and reliability of this method using the fluorochrome acridine orange.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 132 clinical specimens for platelet counts and 101 for reticulocyte counts using a fluorescence laser flow cytometer.
• Simultaneous enumeration by conventional techniques for comparative analysis.
• Utilized the fluorochrome acridine orange for cell staining.

Main Results:

• High correlation (R = .989 for reticulocytes, R = .995 for platelets) with standard methods in non-bone marrow transplant patients.
• Slightly lower correlation (R = .923) for reticulocyte enumeration in marrow transplant patients.
• Automated method demonstrated more consistent serial reticulocyte count results over time compared to manual methods in transplant patients.

Conclusions:

• Fluorescence laser flow cytometry with acridine orange is an efficient, rapid, and reliable method for platelet and reticulocyte counting.
• The method is well-suited for clinical hematologic applications, including in cancer centers.
• Offers improved consistency for serial monitoring in complex patient populations like marrow transplant recipients.