Method for performing automated hematology and cytometry analysis

An automated method for distinguishing and differentiating cells in a whole blood sample with an automated instrument system capable of performing both hematology and fluorescent cytometry analysis to which the whole blood sample is provided, the automated method comprising the steps of:

• (a) selecting a series of one or more tests to be performed on the whole blood sample, and correlating the tests to be performed to the sample;
• (b) aspirating a volume of the whole blood sample;
• (c) dispensing an aliquot of the whole blood sample into at least three sample receiving vessels;
• (d) diluting one or more first aliquots of the whole blood sample with a diluent reagent in at least one of the at least three sample receiving vessels, thereby producing a diluted sample;
• (e) lysing at least one second aliquot of the whole blood sample with a lysing reagent in at least one of the at least three sample receiving vessels, thereby producing a lysed sample;
• (f) transporting at least one aliquot of the diluted sample through a first flow transducer of the automated instrument system;
• (g) detecting and counting red blood cells in the at least one aliquot of diluted sample with the first flow transducer;
• (h) transporting at least one aliquot of the lysed sample through a second flow transducer;
• (i) detecting multi-angle light scatter from the aliquot of lysed sample and counting and differentiating white blood cells or cell surface antigens in the aliquot of lysed sample with the second flow transducer;
• (j) detecting multi-angle light scatter and fluorescence from the lysed sample or the diluted sample and counting and differentiating nucleated red blood cells or reticulocytes and cell surface antigens in the lysed sample or the diluted sample with the second flow transducer;
• (k) storing data for the tests performed on the whole blood sample;
• and
• (l) reporting results of each test performed on the whole blood sample,
• wherein the automated instrument system automatedly performs method steps (a) through (l) without physically separating cells from the whole blood sample or an aliquot thereof and results of the hematology analysis are utilized in at least reporting of results of the fluorescent cytometry analysis.