OSMT (Ontario Society of Medical Technologists) Practice Exam

Question: 1 / 400

When performing a reticulocyte:

a. the blood must be less than 2 hours old

When performing a reticulocyte count, it is essential that the blood specimen be as fresh as possible, ideally less than 2 hours old. This is crucial because reticulocytes are immature red blood cells that can rapidly undergo changes after blood is drawn. If the sample is older, there can be significant alterations in the reticulocyte count due to cell degeneration, as reticulocytes have a limited lifespan. An aged specimen may not accurately reflect the current state of erythropoiesis (red blood cell production) in the patient.

Recognizing the importance of using fresh blood ensures that the reticulocytes can be adequately visualized and counted, leading to a reliable assessment of bone marrow activity and the body's response to anemia or other hematological conditions.

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b. the serum must not be haemolysed

c. the plasma should not be icteric

d. the buffy coat should be removed

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