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Test Code LAB4182 RETICULOCYTE COUNT

Specimen Type

EDTA Whole Blood (Lavender Top Tube)

Specimen Volume

1 mL

Minimum Volume

1 mL EDTA whole blood

Turnaround Time

STAT: 1 hour
Routine: 4 hours

Test Schedule

Daily

Sample Stability

Room Temperature: 1 day
Refrigerated: 2 days 

Method

Flow Cytometry

Reference Ranges

Reference Values:

% RETICULOCYTES

1-3 days: 3.47-5.40%

4 days-4 weeks: 1.06-2.37%

5 weeks-7 weeks: 2.12-3.47%

8 weeks-5 months: 1.55-2.70%

6 months-23 months: 0.99-1.82%

24 months-5 years: 0.82-1.45%

6-11 years: 0.98-1.94%

12-17 years: 0.90-1.49%

Adults: 0.60-2.71%

 

ABSOLUTE RETICULOCYTES

1-3 days: 147.5-216.4 x 10(9)/L

4 days-4 weeks: 51.3-110.4 x 10(9)/L

5 weeks-7 weeks: 51.8-77.9 x 10(9)/L

8 weeks-5 months: 48.2-88.2 x 10(9)/L

6 months-23 months: 43.5-111.1 x 10(9)/L

24 months-5 years: 36.4-68.0 x 10(9)/L

6-11 years: 42.4-70.2 x 10(9)/L

12-17 years: 41.6-65.1 x 10(9)/L

Adults: 30.4-110.9 x 10(9)/L

Synonyms

Retic

Test Components

Reticulocytes, %; Reticulocytes, Absolute, x10*9/L, RET-He

CPT Codes

85046

Notes

Reticulocyte Hemoglobin (RET-He):  RET-He is a reliable marker of cellular hemoglobin content.  The measurement of reticulocyte hemoglobin content is a direct assessment of the incorporation of iron into erythrocyte hemoglobin and thus a direct estimate of the functional availability of iron into the erythron.2    Published data show a RET-He cut-off of 29 pg/cell as an indication of iron deficiency.3  The cut-off for RET-He established in our institution is 28 pg/cell.  A value below this range is indicative of a decreased amount of iron incorporation into the RBC or iron deficiency.