Assay

Reticulocyte Count

Key Words

Reticulocyte, Retic

Specimen Collection

3.4ml EDTA (Red lid). 1.3ml EDTA for paediatric (Red lid), do not overfill. Carried out on the Full Blood Count specimen. Reticulocyte counts may be added on to samples that are up to 48 hours old, but some sequential tests may not be possible at this point - samples should ideally be less than 24 hours old.

Turnaround time

Next working day

Test indications

Investigation of haemolysis, aplastic anaemia, haematinic deficiency

Interferences

Samples over 2 days old and samples with Howell-Jolly bodies may give falsely elevated results.

Reference Range

See table below. Reference ranges established in-house from local population.

Minimum retesting interval

N/A

TEST

AGE

RANGE

UNITS

Absolute reticulocyte count

0 - 1 Day

50-350

10⁹/L

1 - 7 Days

26-300

10⁹/L

1 - 8 Weeks

26-150

10⁹/L

>8 Weeks

23-81

10⁹/L

Reticulocyte haemoglobin equivalent (Ret-He)

All

28-35

pg