Hematology analyzers are automated machines that measure the number of different types of white and red blood cells in a blood sample. The results they provide are known as blood counts (CBCs) or cell differentiation tests (CBCs with diff). Most existing hematologists provide red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin, hematocrit levels, platelet counts, and measurements of three or five different types of white blood cells.
Technology
The main technologies used in hematology analyzers are: electrical resistance, flow cytometry and fluorescence flow cytometry. These are used in conjunction with chemical reagents that dissolve or alter blood cells to extend measurable parameters.
For example, electrical resistance can differentiate erythrocytes (RBCs), WBCs, and platelets by volume. The addition of a nucleating agent that shrinks the lymphocytes more than other WBCs makes it possible to differentiate the lymphocytes per tumor.
