An instrument printout reports a WBC count of 12 x 109/L.The technologist reviews the peripheral blood smear and counts 45 nucleated RBCs.What is the best course of action regarding these findings?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The presence of nucleated RBCs (nRBCs) indicates a bone marrow response and can interfere with accurate WBC counts by automated instruments. It is necessary to adjust the WBC count for the presence of nRBCs using a correction formula. The correction formula is:

Corrected WBC count = (observed WBC count) + (100 x [nucleated RBC count]/100)

In this case, the corrected WBC count would be:

Corrected WBC count = 12 + (100 x [45]/100) = 12 + 45 = 57 x 109/L

Therefore, option C is the best course of action regarding these findings.

An Instrument Printout Reports a WBC Count of 12 X