Click here for more information about laboratory operations and procedures
Hematocrit, automated
| Item | Value | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approval req'd? | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Available Stat? | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test code | HCT, HCTM, CBC, CBCD, ORHT, LBGH | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test group | Hct | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performed by | Parnassus & Mt. Zion Hematology | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In House Availability | Test available 24 hours per day 7 days per week | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Method | Calculation from MCV and RBC Count (Automated) or Centrifugation (Manual) or Conductance (iStat) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Container type | Lavender top | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amount to Collect | 1 mL blood | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sample type | EDTA whole blood | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preferred volume | 1 mL blood | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Min. Volume | 250 uL (microtainer sample) See notes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Units | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Normal range |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Synonyms | Hct; Crit; PCV; Packed cell volume | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turn around times | STAT 1 hour, Routine 4 hours | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Additional information | Also part of CBC & CBC w/differential Reference ranges are also dependent upon the intensity of chronic exposure to high altitudes or to tobacco smoke, as well as to the duration of pregnancy. A manual assay will be performed whenever accurate results cannot be obtained on an automated instrument because of some intrinsic abnormality of the specimen, such as the presence of cold agglutinins. For technical reasons related to plasma trapping between the centrifuged RBCS, manual results are usually 1-2% higher than results by automated methods. Conductance (e.g. iStat) method may yield spurious results in patients with high volume crystalloid infusion (particularly patients on bypass pump) or other plasma protein derangements. Conductance values may not compare well with calculated Hct results. Capillary tubes for spun hematocrits require only 100 µL vs 250 µL for a microtainer, but they are leak-prone, fragile, hazardous to handle, less informative than a CBC and-because they are imprecise-should be run in duplicate, diminishing any benefit of requiring less blood volume. We discourage their use but will accept them for processing. Two capillaries should be submitted in a labeled tube to minimize breakage during transport, and should be accompanied by a requisition on which "SPUN HCT" is written next to the box checked for a CBC |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Medical Necessity? | Yes. Click here for more information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated | 11/30/2012 12:49:07 PM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Entry Number | 437 |
If you have additional questions regarding this test, please call: 415-353-1667