title: Performance of CellaVision DM96 in leukocyte classification.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leukocyte differentials are an important component of clinical care. Morphologic assessment of peripheral blood smears (PBS) may be required to accurately classify leukocytes. However, manual microscopy is labor intensive. The CellaVision DM96 is an automated system that acquires digital images of leukocytes on PBS, pre-classifies the cell type, and displays them on screen for a Technologist or Pathologist to approve or reclassify. Our study compares the results of the DM96 with manual microscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and fifty-nine PBS were selected and assessed by manual microscopy with a 200 leukocyte cell count. They were then reassessed using the CellaVision DM96 with a 115 leukocyte cell count including reclassification when necessary. Correlation between the manual microscopy results and the CellaVision DM96 results was calculated for each cell type.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The correlation coefficients (r (2)) range from a high of 0.99 for blasts to a low of 0.72 for metamyelocytes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The correlation between the CellaVision DM96 and manual microscopy was as good or better than the previously published data. The accuracy of leukocyte classification depended on the cell type, and in general, there was lower correlation for rare cell types. However, the correlation is similar to previous studies on the correlation of manual microscopy with an established reference result. Therefore, the CellaVision DM96 is appropriate for clinical implementation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2L 2K8, Canada.
authors.forename: Lik Hang
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mansoor
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Higa
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Naugler
keywords: Digital pathology; hematopathology; peripheral blood smear