New quantitative parameters on a recently introduced automated blood cell counter - the XE 2100 (TM)

The XE 2100 (Sysmex Corporation) is a cell counter that furthers the techno logy of fluorescent flow cytometry developed from the earlier range of Sysm ex analysers. The new diagnostic features are a nucleated red cell count (N RBC), the ability to measure platelets by impedance as well as an 'optical' platelet count using a fluorescence dye and an immature granulocyte (IG) c ount, The NRBC count was highly correlated (r = 0.97) with the manual reference c ount. For counts below 100 x 10(9)/l the 'optical' method and the immunocou nt gave good a correlation (r = 0.97) optical and impedance counts were als o well correlated (r = 0.89), The use of the 'optical' platelet count signi ficantly improves the reliability of low platelet counts, The IG count corr elated with visual counts (r = 0.81) and allows the detection of immature c ells at an earlier stage in the laboratory process. The introduction of fluorescent flow cytometric analysis allows extended qu antification of additional cell populations and so potentially improves scr eening and monitoring of various pathological conditions.