In the appropriate area of a well-made blood film, two to three white cells are seen per high dry field. The automated cell counter white count on the same patient is 20.6 *10⁹/L. Select the correct interpretation.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The expected number of white cells per high dry field in a well-made blood film should correlate with the automated cell counter results. Typically, seeing 2-3 white cells per high dry field suggests a normal or slightly decreased white cell count, not an elevated count like 20.6 x 10^9/L. This discrepancy suggests a potential error, such as a labeling mistake, rather than an issue with the cell counting or the smear estimation technique itself.

In the Appropriate Area of a Well-Made Blood Film, Two