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Verification of automated hematology analyser for body fluid analysis (guidelines, recommendations)

The diagnostic value of the cellular components in body fluids has been evaluated in many inflammatory diseases. Despite its many limitations, manual microscopy is still considered the gold standard for detecting and differentiating cells in body fluids. However, development of the automated hematology analyzers has led to major improvements in body fluid analysis for cellular composition. These analyzers offer improved accuracy, precision and efficiency compared with manual microscopy methods. Considering the importance of cell enumeration in some clinical conditions (eg. bacterial meningitis and cellular enumeration of cerebrospinal fluid), it is essential that the laboratory provide precise, accurate and reproducible results, thus imposing on laboratory professionals some new challenges – how to properly and efficiently perform the verification of automated cell counter for body fluids. The literature about this relevant topic is fairly scarce. The 2006 Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) document H56-A Body Fluid Analysis for Cellular Composition ; Approved Guideline provides recommendations for standardizing the collection and transport of body fluids, numeration and identification of cellular components, and guidance for qualitative and quantitative assessment of body fluid. Although the recommendations are clear and comprehensive, they lack some guidance for conducting a proper verification of body fluid analysis on routine hematology analyzer. In 2014 the International Council for Standardization in Hematology (ICSH) published the “Guidelines for the verification and performance of automated cell counters for body fluids” to assist laboratories to plan and execute the verification of their automated cell counters for automated body fluid counts. These guidelines represent valuable tool for every laboratory professional who has determined to cope with this demanding, yet challenging area of laboratory medicine. What is perhaps lacking are uniform, consistent and clearly defined quality requirements. There is definitely room for a literature, as well as for a knowledge upgrade.

body fluid, hematology, guidelines, recommendations, verification

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