MAKING A CELL THROMBOCYTE / platelet COUNT WITH THE PC100
Wondering how to make a platelet count without a laboratory hematology analyzer? With the PC100 point-of-care platelet counter the whole procedure takes four steps and requires only 20 µl of venous blood or 10 µl of PRP. No calibration, no cleaning cycles and no specialised laboratory training are needed, which makes it suitable for clinics, PRP practices and research settings.
Quick overview of how to make a cell thrombocyte / platelet count with the PC100 using venous whole blood. All steps required from preparing the blood sample to executing the cell count with the PC100 are shown. The procedure for PRP is nearly identical.
How to make a thrombocyte / platelet count with the PC100™?
Innovative platelet counting in 4 simple steps
1 – TAKE BLOOD OR PRP
Platelet rich plasma PRP
10μl of PRP is sufficient for a PRP measurement.
Whole blood
Take a venous blood sample. 20μl of venous blood is sufficient for a whole blood measurement.
2 – PREPARE SAMPLE
Use a pipette to add the blood sample or PRP to the reagent Eppendorf cup to lyse the red blood cells. Wait for 5 minutes.
3 – FILL DISPOSABLE SLIDE
Fill both chambers of the PC100 disposable counting slide using a pipette. Load the slide into the PC100 Platelet Counter. Start measurement.
4 – ANALYSE RESULTS
The PC100 Platelet Counter measures the concentration and reports the result in platelets/nl.
How long does it take to make a platelet count?
Sample preparation (lysing the red blood cells in the reagent cup) takes about 5 minutes, and the PC100 typically reports the platelet count about 4 minutes after the slide is loaded, with a maximum of 8 minutes. In practice a result is therefore available within roughly 10 minutes of taking the sample, while the operator is free to do other work during the count.
Tips for a reliable platelet count
- Mix anticoagulated whole blood gently but thoroughly before pipetting; platelets settle quickly.
- Use a calibrated pipette and respect the sample and reagent volumes; the dilution factor determines the reported concentration.
- Fill both chambers of the disposable slide in one smooth motion and avoid air bubbles.
- Keep to the indicated lysis time before filling the slide.
- For PRP, check that the expected concentration falls within the validated range of 250-3600 plt/nL; dilute if necessary.
Always follow the PC100 instructions for use. See the platelet count results page for how to read and export the result.
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