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Test ID BLOD1409 Peripheral Blood Smear Examination

Specimen Type/Requirements

Lavender top (EDTA) tube - Whole Blood 

AND/OR

2 unstained EDTA blood smears

NOTE: Smears made from EDTA should be made within 1 hour of collection for optimal quality. Do not fix or stain smears. 

 

CBC must have been performed within 48 hours of order. 

 

Specimen Volume

 Preferred Volume     3 ml whole blood in EDTA + 2 unstained EDTA smears   
 Minimum Volume  1 ml whole blood in EDTA + 2 unstained EDTA smears   

Stability/Transport

EDTA Whole Blood:

 Room Temperature     24 hours     
 Refrigerated     48 hours     Preferred for transport   
 Frozen     Not Acceptable     

 

Slides:

 Room Temperature     Preferred for transport   

* Please send instrument printout with slides. 

Performed Test Frequency

Monday through Sunday

Additional Information

When blood smear meets any of the following criteria, it will be sent to pathology for review:

 

RED BLOOD CELLS

  1. Hemoglobin level <10 g/dL or >16 g/dL
  2. Any significant RBC morphology defined as:
  • RBC inclusions
  • Few – Schistocytes, spherocytes, sickle cells
  • Moderate or Marked – on all other RBC morphology

LEUKOCYTES

  1. Absolute lymphocyte count in adults >5.0
  2. Absolute monocyte count in adults >1.6 and 10% (>50 Yrs Old)
  3. Absolute eosinophil count >1.5
  4. Absolute basophil count >0.4
  5. Absolute neutrophil count (segs & bands) >25,000/uL or
    <1,800/uL
  6. Left shift in neutrophil series (myelocytes or younger)
  7. Presence of blasts, atypical/immature cells, plasma cells or
    unidentified cells

PLATELETS – counts <100,000/uL or >450,000/uL

 

PRESENCE OF ORGANISMS – Malaria, Babesia, etc. 

Methodology

Microscopy

Performing Lab

Sanford Laboratories Sioux Falls