UNIVERSITY OF PERPETUAL HELP – DR. JOSE G.
TAMAYO MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
RED BLOOD CELL COUNT HEMOCYTOMETER
RBC Count:
- measures the number of red blood cells in a volume of blood
- essential for diagnosing conditions like:
o anemia
o polycythemia
o monitoring blood loss
• Normal Values:
o Male: 4.2-5.4 x 1012/L
o Female: 3.6-5.0 x 1012/L
o Newborn: 5.5-6.5 x 1012/L
Clinical Significance
When is it performed?
• Anemia Evaluation:
o helps differentiate types of anemia
(microcytic, macrocytic).
• Polycythemia Screening:
o identifies increased RBC mass.
• Monitoring Treatments:
o evaluates the effectiveness of therapies
like erythropoietin.
Purpose of Manual Counting
• Provides a reference method to validate automated counts.
• Useful in settings with limited resources.
1. The space between the top of the platform and
cover glass is 0.1mm
2. Both platforms contain ruled area composed of
nine large square of equal size.
3. Each large square is 1mm wide and 1 mm long.
Therefore, the entire ruled area is 9mm2
4. The volume of one entire platform if 0.9uL,
indicating that one large square is 0.1uL.
5. Five small squares in the center
Large square are read to assess RBC count.
RBC Count HEMA LAB (MIDTERMS)
AAG
UNIVERSITY OF PERPETUAL HELP – DR. JOSE G. TAMAYO MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
MANUAL RBC COUNT PROCEDURE DILUTE BLOOD IN WBC THOMA PIPET
1. draw blood up to 0.5 mark
2. remove unnecessary blood outside the pipet using
gauze or wet wipes
3. in Vertical position draw diluting fluid until solution
reaches 101 mark.
4. place the pipet in a horizontal position with the
index finger capping the tip of the pipet.
MIX THE PIPET FOR APPROX. 3 MINS.
PRE-ANALYTIC:
1. Remove the aspirator from the other end of the pipet
• preparation of materials
• collect WB 2. Mix the pipet for approximately 3 minutes.
3. Discard 4 drops of blood in the sink or gauze.
ANALYTIC:
CHARGE THE NEUBAUER CHAMBER
• dilute blood in RBC thoma pipet
PROPERLY
• mix the pipet for approx. 3 mins.
• charge the Neubauer chamber 1. Charge the neubauer chamber properly,
• read the 5 SMALL squares preventing it to be under or overcharged.
2. Wait for 3 minutes before reading under the microscope.
POST-ANALYTIC:
• clean the area
READ THE 5 SMALL RBC SQUARES ON
• note and compute results CENTRE SQUARE
PREPARATION OF MATERIALS: Read the 5 small RBC squares on centre square
from upper and lower chamber.
Reagents and Equipments
Boundary Rules:
1. Pipets
• Top and Left Borders:
a. Thoma RBC pipet (1:200)
Count RBCs that are located on the top or left borders of the
square.
2. RBC diluting fluid
a. Trisodium citrate with formalin • Bottom and Right Borders:
b. Hayem’s solution (causes: Do not count RBCs that are on the bottom or right borders of
▪ roleaux the square; these are counted in the adjacent squares
▪ agglutination
i. in patients with hyperglobulinemia) NOTE AND COMPUTE RESULTS
c. Isotonic saline, isotonic Gower’s solution and Citrate
COMPUTATION FOR WBC COUNT
formalin solution
No. of cells counted x Correction for Dilution x Correction for Volume x 106
Wherein:
Dilution : 1:200
Correction for Volume: 1/0.02 or 50
Sample Problem: 23 / Female
Square 1= 123
Square 2= 95
Square 3= 89
Square 4= 98
Square 5= 96 = 501
501 x 200 x 50 x 106 = 5.01 x 1012 /L
RBC Count HEMA LAB (MIDTERMS)
AAG