Performance of the SE-9000 automated haematology analyser in a laboratory serving a haematological oncology unit

The performance of the SE-9000 automated haematology analyser in a laboratory receiving a high number of abnormal specimens from haematological oncology patients was assessed according to formal protocols for the evaluation of blood cell counters. Linearity over a useful working range, precision in clinically important ranges and negligible carry-over were demonstrated in this group of patient samples confirming the results of previous investigators, The comparability of instrument derived differential leucocyte counts from both normal and distributionally abnormal samples with those obtained by visual microscopy using the NCCLS H-20 A protocol was very good. The sensitivity of flags for the detection of immature granulocytes and myeloid blast cells was high and this can be attributed to the incorporation of a new measuring channel (Immature Myeloid Information or IMI channel). The number of unrecognized abnormalities was low and when compared with the poor sensitivity of the routine 100-cell visual differential leucocyte count, the analyser was judged suitable for monitoring patients with haematological malignancies. The performance of flags such as 'left shift' and 'atypical lymphocytes' can be improved by taking into consideration distributional abnormalities such as neutrophilia and lymphocytosis. The trigger level for these flags should be adapted to the clinical need particularly in cases of neutropenia following chemotherapy, and in lymphoproliferative disorders and infection.