A reticulocyte count (retic count) measures the number of reticulocytes in the blood. If the count is too high or too low, it can mean a serious health problem, including anemia and disorders of the bonmarrow ,liver and Kidneys.
Other names of test : retic count, reticulocyte percent, reticulocyte index, reticulocyte production index (RPI).
You may need this test if:
- Other blood tests show your red blood cell levels are not normal. These tests may include a complete blood test count, Hemoglobin , and/or Hematocrit.
- You are being treated with chemotherapy
- You recently received a bone marrow transplant
You may also need this test if you have symptoms of anemia. These include:
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- brethlessness
- Pale skin
- Cold hands and/or feet
The principle of the retic count blood test is to count the number of reticulocytes (immature red blood cells) in a sample of blood. Reticulocytes are produced by the bone marrow as precursors to mature red blood cells.
To perform the test, a blood sample is taken from the patient , no any preparation is reauired for the pateint and blood samole is treated with a special dye that stains the reticulocytes. The reticulocytes are then counted under a microscope to determine the concentration of reticulocytes in the blood.
Importance of Retic count test :
The retic count blood test is important for several reasons:
1. Diagnosis of anemia: The retic count blood test is used to determine if the bone marrow is producing enough red blood cells to compensate for the anemia. If the bone marrow is producing more reticulocytes than usual, it indicates that the bone marrow is responding to the anemia by producing more red blood cells.
2. Monitoring treatment for anemia: The retic count blood test is also used to monitor the effectiveness of treatment for anemia, such as iron supplements, vitamin B12 injections, or blood transfusions. If the treatment is working, the retic count should start to increase.
3. Evaluating bone marrow function: The retic count blood test can also be used to evaluate the function of the bone marrow and to diagnose certain bone marrow disorders. If the retic count is abnormal, it can indicate a problem with the bone marrow.
4. Predicting recovery from certain conditions: The retic count blood test can be a useful indicator of recovery from certain conditions, such as hemolytic anemia or chemotherapy-induced anemia. An increase in the retic count after treatment can indicate that the bone marrow is recovering and starting to produce more red blood cells.
Reauired Material and Reagents for the test :
1) Glass tube
2) slide
3) Pippete
4) incubator
5) Reticulocyte staining fluid (brilliant cresyl blue)
Specimen : EDTA Whole Blood .
Procedure:
• Take 6 drop of the stain solution in a glass tube by pipette.
• Add equal amount of patient blood to the stain solution. and double amount of blood is added in case of anaemic patients (HB is <6 gm).
• Mix and place in incubator at 37 ° c for 20 minutes.
• Re-suspend the patient red cell by gentle remixing and make thin smear on clean ordinary glass slides. air dry the smear.
• When dry examine the smear under the oil immersion objective without any fixing or counter – staining. reticulocyte is pale blue and contain dark blue reticular or granular material whereas the RBCs stain pale blue or blue green.
• Counting the reticulocyte: select a well spread portion of the smear where the staining is good and RBC are undistortedand notoverlapping.
• Count reticulocytes in 1000 RBCS
Reticulocyte % = ( No. of reticulocyte /1000 red cell in fields) × 100
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