Electronic platelet counting after isopycnic differential centrifugation a simple rapid and accurate method

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Clinical Laboratory Science

Background:

• Accurate platelet counting is crucial for diagnosing and managing various hematological disorders.
• Traditional manual platelet counting methods can be time-consuming and prone to errors.
• Existing automated methods may require complex procedures or specialized equipment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel semi-automated procedure for accurate platelet counting.
• To introduce an electronic counting method utilizing differential centrifugation.
• To validate the efficiency and reliability of this new platelet counting technique.

Main Methods:

• Blood samples were diluted with a hypertonic NaCl solution (density 1.053).
• Differential centrifugation was employed to separate platelets based on density.
• Platelets were counted electronically using a Coulter Counter without further corrections.

Main Results:

• The method effectively eliminated red and white blood cells, preventing platelet loss.
• High reproducibility was achieved with a coefficient of variation of 2.4%.
• The procedure is quick, requiring no specialized technicians, with a throughput of 40 counts per hour.

Conclusions:

• The described semi-automated method offers a fast, accurate, and reproducible approach to platelet counting.
• Its simplicity and efficiency make it highly suitable for routine hematological laboratories.
• Two years of practical application confirm the method's accuracy and feasibility.