Automation is the key to standardized semen analysis using the automated SQA-V sperm quality analyzer

Objective: to evaluate the performance of the automated semen quality analyzer system for assessing sperm quality. Design: Double-blind prospective study. Setting: Tertiary care hospital. Patient(s): Fifty healthy men donated semen samples. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Precision, accuracy and agreement between automated and manual semen analysis methods was assessed for sperm concentration, motility, morphology, and known concentrations of latex bead quality control media. Result(s): A good aggrement was seen between the results of sperm concentration reported by the SQA-V automated analyzer (Spermalite/SQA-V; Medical Electronic Systems Ltd, Caesarea Industrial Park, Israel) and those obtained manually. A similar linearity was seen when the SQA-V results were compared with the manual data and aldo when the manual results of individual operators were compared with each other. The automated assessment of morphology showed high sensitivity (89.9%) for identifying percent normal morphology, and the precision of the SQA-V was considerably higher when compared with the manual method. The interperator variability for manual assessment was significant. The automated analysis was quik compared with the manual method. Conclusions: The SQA-V can be used interchangeably with manual semen analysis methods for examining sperm concentration and motility. The automated SQA-V analyzer is more precise and shows the ability to accurately classify normal versus abnormal sperm morphology.