COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT (CBC)

Category

Hematology

Sub Category

General

Synonyms/Aliases

Full Haemogram, total blood count, full blood count.

Abbreviations

CBC, TBC, FHG, FBC

Type

Profile/ Panel (Bundles Tests).

3 hrs

Results ready in 3 hrs.

Temp

Refrigerated

Method

Automated cell counter.

Setup

Daily

Components Parameters

WBC Total & Differential COUNTS, RBC Idices (HB, HEMATOCRIT, MCV, MCH, MCHC, RBC COUNT, RDW-CV), Platelet Count.

Pre-analytic Considerations

N/A

Test Ordering Instructions

Fill out test request form fully & legibly. Should be performed within 24 hours of collection (≤6 hours ideal); if concurrent peripheral blood film examination is required, slides should be freshly prepared I.E. Within 2 hours of collection.

Patient preparation

N/A

Sample type

EDTA Whole Blood.

Container/ preservative

EDTA (PURPLE TOP) vacutainer.

Sample volume

3ML

Rejection criteria

Labeling issue (unlabeled/ mislabeled); missing request form; Mismatch between request form & sample details; Missing age/ gender; wrong sample type; Insufficient sample; Clotted sample; Samples >24 hours old.

Other Instructions

N/A

Reference intervals

Age & gender appropriate values provided with report.

Clinical Utility

Multiple e.G. Assessment of anemia, polycythemia, infections, thrombocytopenia, thrombocytosis; assessment of leukemia, lymphoma; as part of health & wellness checks or profiles e.G. Antenatal profile, pre-operative checks; as part of monitoring of chronic diseases etc.

Test Limitations/ Confounders

RBC INDICES (E.G. MCV, MCH, MCHC) May begin to alterafter 6 Hours.

MALARIA ANTIGEN

Category

Hematology

Sub Category

Infectious

Synonyms/Aliases

N/A

Abbreviations

N/A

Type

Individual Test

2 Hrs

Results ready in 2 Hrs after receipt.

Method

Immunochromatographic; Rapid Detection Test (Rdt).

Temp

Room temperature/ refrigerated.

Setup

Daily

Components Parameters

N/A

Pre-analytic Considerations

N/A

Test Ordering Instructions

Fill out test request form fully & legibly.

Patient preparation

N/A

Sample type

EDTA whole blood

Container/ preservative

EDTA (purple top) vacutainer

Sample volume

3ML (Min 1ML)

Rejection criteria

Labeling Issue (Unlabeled/ Mislabeled); Missing Request Form; Mismatch Between Request Form & Sample Details; Missing Age/ Gender; Wrong Sample Type; Insufficient Sample.

Other Instructions

N/A

Reference intervals

Negative

Clinical Utility

Used for diagnosis of Malaria

Test Limitations/ Confounders

Antigenemia can persist for up to 28 days post treatment.

CD4/ CD8 COUNT

Category

Hematology

Sub Category

Flow Cytometry

Synonyms/Aliases

N/A

Abbreviations

CD4/CD8

Type

Profile/ Panel (Bundled Tests)

5 days

Results ready in 5 working days

Method

Flow Cytometry Immunophenotyping

Temp

room temperature (avoid refrigeration)

Setup

Daily

Components Parameters

CD4, CD8, CD3. CD4:CD8 ratio can be derived.

Pre-analytic Considerations

N/A

Test Ordering instructions

Fill out test request form fully & legibly

Patient preparation

N/A

Sample type

EDTA Whole Blood

Container/ preservative

EDTA (Purple Top) Vacutain

Sample volume

3ML

Rejection criteria

Labeling issue (unlabeled/ mislabeled); Missing request form; wrong sample type; Insufficient sample; Clotted sample.

Other Instructions

Time sensitive Analyte.

Reference intervals

Age & gender appropriate values are provided on the report

Clinical Utility

Assessment of immune status e.g. In patients with HIV or suspected to have T-Cell Lymphomas.

Test Limitations/ Confounders

N/A

HEMOGLOBIN ELECTROPHORESIS / HPLC

Category

Hematology

Sub Category

Haemolytic Anemia

Synonyms/Aliases

HB Electrophoresis; Abnormal Hemoglobin Studies

Abbreviations

HPLC

Type

Profile/ Panel (Bundled Tests)

7 days

Results ready in 7 days

Method

Electrophoresis or high performance liquid chromatography (hPLC).

Temp

Room temperature.

Setup

Daily

Components Parameters

HBF, HBA0, HBA2 quantification & detection of abnormal Hemoglobin variants.

Pre-analytic Considerations

N/A

Test Ordering Instructions

Fill out test request form fully & legibly. Exact age (date of birth preferred) and history of blood transfusion (within the past 3-4 months) is required.

Patient preparation

N/A

Sample type

EDTA whole blood.

Container/ preservative

EDTA (Purple Top) Vacutainer.

Sample volume

3ML

Rejection criteria

Labeling issue (unlabeled/ mislabeled); missing request form; mismatch between request form & sample details; missing age/ gender; wrong sample type; insufficient sample; clotted sample.

Other Instructions

N/A

Reference intervals

Age appropriate values provided with report.

Clinical Utility

HBAA with normal HBF & HBA2 levels for age.

Test Limitations/ Confounders

Recent transfusion is a confounder, therefore testing should be preferentially done >3-4 months post transfusion.

PLATELET COUNT

Category

Hematology

Sub Category

General.

Synonyms/Aliases

Thrombocyte Count

Abbreviations

N/A

Type

Individual Test

3 Hrs

Results ready in 3 hrs.

Method

Automated Cell Counter

Temp

Room temperature/Refrigerated

Setup

Daily

Components Parameters

N/A

Pre-analytic Considerations

N/A

Test Ordering Instructions

Fill out test request form fully & legibly. Should be performed within 24 hours of collection.

Patient preparation

N/A

Sample type

EDTA whole blood.

Container/ preservative

EDTA (Purple Top) Vacutainer

Sample volume

3ML

Rejection criteria

Labeling Issue (Unlabeled/ Mislabeled); Missing Request Form; Mismatch Between Request Form & Sample Details; Missing Age/ Gender; Wrong Sample Type; Insufficient Sample; Clotted Sample.

Other Instructions

N/A

Reference intervals

Appropriate values provided with report.

Clinical Utility

Multiple e.g. Assessment of Thrombocytopenia, Thrombocytosis, Bleeding Diathesis Etc.

Test Limitations/ Confounders

Red Cell Fragments (Schistocytes), Platelet Clumping, Platelet Satellitism, Lipemia or Cryoglobulinemia Can Cause Spurious Platelet Counts.

BONE MARROW ASPIRATE (BMA) CYTOLOGY, REPORTING ONLY

Category

Hematology

Sub Category

Cytology

Synonyms/Aliases

N/A

Abbreviations

BMA, BMAC

Type

Individual Test

3-5 days

Results ready in 3-5 working days

Method

Staining & microscopy

Temp

Room temperature (slides)

Setup

All working days

Components Parameters

N/A; however concurrent CBC/ PBF ordering is required.

Pre-analytic Considerations

Complete history with relevant investigations including recent CBC and concurrent peripheral blood film examination

Test Ordering Instructions

Fill out test request form fully & legibly. clinical history/ indications required inclusive of results of other diagnostic work-up. concurrent CBC printout or CBC order required. concurrent pbf order/ examination required for optimal hematological assessment.

Patient preparation

N/A

Sample type

Properly prepared, labeled, air dried, fixed smears required. slides should be labeled with 2 patient identifiers, including name. if slides are not fixed, label as unfixed. if fixation is done, this should be with freshly prepared methanol.

Container/ preservative

Slides should be prepared directly. bone marrow sample can be transferred into EDTA (purple top) vacutainer but slides must then be prepared within 1-2 hours of collection.

Sample volume

N/A (Slides Required)

Rejection criteria

Labeling issue (unlabeled/ mislabeled); missing request form; wrong sample type; broken slides

Other Instructions

if additional tests are required, obtain the relevant samples & list them on the request form e.g. flow Cytometry (EDTA & Heparin Vacutainer, 3ml each), Cytogenetics (Sodium Heparin Vacutainer), Culture (Blood Culture Bottles) etc.

Reference intervals

Negative for disease/ malignancy

Clinical Utility

Variable E.g. Assess Unexplained Cytopenias (Anemia, Leukopenia, Thrombocytopenia), Unexplained Cytoses (Polycythemia, Leukocytosis, Thrombocytosis), Suspected Malignancy Or Infiltration (Leukemia, Lymphoma, Myeloproliferative Neoplasms, Metastatic Disease), Pyrexia Of Unknown Origin, Infectious Diseases (E.g. Leishmaniasis), B Symptoms (Unintentional Weight Loss, Drenching Night Sweats, Fever) Etc.

Test Limitations/ Confounders

Poor slide preparation / fixation can compromise interpretation/ make bma unreportable; some diseases e.g. multiple myeloma may involve the bone marrow in a patchy fashion therefore sampling bias may lead to false negative results; optimal bone marrow assessment frequently requires concurrent trephine biopsy to be obtained; some diagnoses can only be made on histology (trephine biopsy) samples e.g. Aplastic Anemia, when dry or aparticulate aspirates are obtained.

BONE MARROW ASPIRATE (BMA) CYTOLOGY, PROCEDURE AND REPORTING [e.g. BREAST, LYMPH NODE, THYROID ETC.]

Category

Hematology

Sub Category

Cytology

Synonyms/Aliases

Bone Marrow Aspirate

Abbreviations

BMA, BMAC

Type

Individual Test

3-5 days

Results ready in 3-5 working days

Method

Staining & microscopy

Temp

Room temperature (slides)

Setup

All working days

Components/ Parameters

N/A : However concurrent CBC/ PBF ordering is required.

Pre-analytic Considerations

N/A

Test Ordering Instructions

Fill out test request form fully & legibly. Clinical history/ indications required inclusive of results of other diagnostic work-up. concurrent CBC printout or CBC order required. concurrent PBF order/ examination required for optimal hematological assessment.

Patient preparation

Booking for the procedure is required. Children usually require sedation/ anesthesia therefore should be in fasting status at the time of the procedure. charges for sedation/ anesthesia are additional.

Sample type

Properly prepared, labeled, air dried, fixed smears required.

Container/ preservative

Slides should be prepared directly. bone marrow sample can be transferred into EDTA (purple top) vacutainer but slides must then be prepared within 1-2 hours of collection.

Sample volume

N/A (slides required; however for cytology, do not draw >0.5ml for slide preparation to avoid Hemodilution; if additional tests e.g. flow Cytometry, Cytogenetics, culture are required, further draws can be done)

Rejection criteria

Labeling issue (unlabeled/ mislabeled); missing request form; wrong sample type; broken slides

Other Instructions

N/A

Reference intervals

Negative for disease/ malignancy

Clinical Utility

Variable E.g. Assess Unexplained Cytopenias (Anemia, Leukopenia, Thrombocytopenia), Unexplained Cytoses (Polycythemia, Leukocytosis, Thrombocytosis), Suspected Malignancy Or Infiltration (Leukemia, Lymphoma, Myeloproliferative Neoplasms, Metastatic Disease), Pyrexia Of Unknown Origin, Infectious Diseases (E.g. Leishmaniasis), B Symptoms (Unintentional Weight Loss, Drenching Night Sweats, Fever) Etc.

Test Limitations/ Confounders

Poor slide preparation / fixation can compromise interpretation/ make BMA unreportable; some diseases e.g. multiple myeloma may involve the bone marrow in a patchy fashion therefore sampling bias may lead to false negative results; optimal bone marrow assessment frequently requires concurrent trephine biopsy to be obtained; some diagnoses can only be made on histology (trephine biopsy) samples e.g. Aplastic anemia, when dry or aparticulate aspirates are obtained.