Last update:
28-Sep-2019

The use of automated blood cell counters (hematology auto-analyzers) for diagnostic purposes is an inextricable feature of modern clinical laboratories. Rapid and accurate counts of red blood cells (RBCs), platelets and white blood cells (total and differential WBCs) are basic requirements for a hematology laboratory. Almost all of today's hematological tests are exclusively performed on hematology analyzers. Automation of hematology laboratories is a result of the huge demand for hematological tests on patients and timely issuing of the hematological findings, and of the possibilities offered by the usage of modern techniques. Hematology analyzers sporadically generate false results for one or more parameters of the complete blood count, often due to the characteristics or artifacts of the blood specimen. The establishment of procedures of internal and external audit as a daily routine, the analytical and systematic recording of errors and the application of modern quality assurance methods in automated hematology analysis, will reduce the number of errors, increase the reliability of the analysis and significantly improve the quality of health services, which are increasingly based on clinical assays, classic and new. Although quality assurance is often limited exclusively to analyzing "control" samples, this is actually only one stage of a complex process, which aims to prevent and restrict laboratory faults and measurement errors during the pre-analytical, analytical and postanalytical phases of laboratory practice. The awareness that complete elimination of laboratory testing errors is unrealistic –especially those related to the pre-analytical phases that are harder to control– highlights the importance of good laboratory practice and compliance with the new accreditation standards.

Key words: Analytical errors, Hematology analyzer, Laboratory results, Quality control.