Kaiser Permanente Interlaboratory Abnormal Cell Study Comparing Slide Quality of the Sysmex SP-100 Automated Slide Preparation Unit to Manual Technique

• Kaiser Permanente Interlaboratory Abnormal Cell Study Comparing Slide Quality of the Sysmex SP-100 Automated Slide Preparation Unit to Manual Technique

AUTHOR(S)

Gene PAWLICK^＊１, and Jane RELOPEZ^＊２

*1 Laboratory Director, Kaiser Regional Laboratory
*2 Research and Development, Kaiser Regional Laboratory

SUMMARY

In a collaborative effort with 29 Kaiser-Berkeley clinical laboratories in Northern California, the Regional Laboratory and Hematology Supervisors’ Peer Group developed and executed an interlaboratory test comparison to establish a defined relationship for the same tests performed in the Medical Centers’ laboratories and Regional Laboratory. The test comparison supports the determination of test accuracy, quality and consistency of hematology slide preparation and evaluation. The abnormal cell case study described in this article compared the manually-prepared and conventionally-stained slides of a 14 year-old chronic myelogenous leukemia outpatient with slides prepared with the Sysmex SP-100 automated slide preparation unit utilized at Regional Laboratory. Medical technologists in each of the 29 participating laboratories then reviewed and evaluated both slides. It was the consensus of the laboratorians that the SP100-prepared slides exhibited overall superior quality and consistency in comparison to the manually-prepared slides. The most notable difference was the distinct staining of cell granulation ( i.e., basophils and immature cells ) with the SP-100-prepared slides. The participants also commented regarding the excellent blood film quality and uniformity of the SP-100 “wedge-type” smear.

All laboratorians were able to readily identify abnormal cells consistent with myelogenous leukemia disorder on this patient when reviewing the SP-100-prepared slides. Based on the results of this test comparison and other subsequent comparisons, the Hematology Supervisors’ Peer Group has selected the SP-100 as the “benchmark” for overall slide quality within the Kaiser Northern California Laboratory System.

KEY WORDS

Complete Blood Count ( CBC ), Hematology Sample Transportation ( HST ) System,
SP-100, Automated Slide Preparation, Unit, Stain Quality