Cell counter-related abnormalities

Various spurious and artifactual results may be present in hematologic findings and test results. Despite the presence of increasingly sophisticated hematology cell counters, artifactual results may occur with any given parameter, with potentially serious results. Patients have been given antimicrobial agents to treat pseudoleukocystosis, inappropriately not treated because of masked leukopenia, inappropriately examined for pseudoincrease or pseudodecrease in hematocrit, subjected to steroid therapy or splenectomy to treat pseudothrombocytopenia, or not given necessary platelet transfusions because of an artifactually elevated platelet count. Awareness of the spectrum of spurious or artifactual results may help to prevent such occurrences.