Leukocyte Differential Compared on Flow Cytometry Hematology Analyzer

A recently introduced automated hematology analyzer that provides a 16-part white blood cell count (WBC) differential has been compared with other automated machines and the manual method.

The newer flow cytometry-hematology analyzer is not only able to differentiate the five main white cell populations but also capable of distinguishing 11 other cells including immature blast cells and various T-lymphocytes.


Scientists at Dong-A University (Busan, South Korea) selected 101 blood samples in routine complete blood counts (CBC) for analysis regardless of previous diagnosis. The samples came from 54 men and 47 women, whose age range was 1-84 years, with a mean age of 43 years. The Hematoflow, the newest automatic hematology analyzer, includes a DxH 800 Coulter Cellular Analysis System and FC 500 Flow Cytometer (Beckman Coulter; Miami, FL, USA). The DxH800 uses multiple angles of light scatter, and the FC500 provides a 16-part WBC differential, giving precise information on WBC subsets.

The FC500 contains a premixed Cytodiff reagent and analysis software. The Cytodiff panel included six directly conjugated monoclonal antibodies in a five-color single reagent. The differential WBC count performance of the FC500, was compared with the Beckman Coulter DxH800, the Sysmex XE-2100 (TOA Medical Electronics Co.; Kobe, Japan), and the reference manual method. The methodological comparison of the WBC differential parameters of neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils showed good correlations among four different analyses. More than 1% of blast cells were counted in 30 of 101 samples.

For B-cell acute lymphatic leukaemia (ALL), blast B count of Hematoflow shows good correlation with reference method results. The analyzer easily distinguished B-cell lineage leukemic blasts from T-cell leukemic blasts and myeloblasts. For T-cell ALL, Hematoflow did not identify blast T, and shows complete agreement with manual counting. For acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), blast non-B-non-T counts of Hematoflow shows 100% concordance and good correlation with reference method results.

The scientists concluded that for the technical staff, the installation of Hematoflow would have many consequences. There would be a reduction in technical staff time at the microscope while simultaneously increasing the efficiency of the workflow, the elimination of medical technologists facing a difficult diagnosis alone. This rapid and quantitative technique may be helpful in the differential diagnosis of acute leukemias prior to additional investigation. The study was published in the October 2012 edition of the International Journal of Laboratory Hematology.

Related Links:
Dong-A University
Beckman Coulter
TOA Medical Electronics Co.