Abstract
BACKGROUND: Accurate quantification of residual leukocytes (rWBC) and red blood cells (rRBC) in leukoreduced blood components is essential to ensure product quality and transfusion safety. Conventional manual flow cytometry techniques are time-consuming and analyst-dependent. In this study, we validated the XN-1000 Blood Bank (BB) mode as an automated alternative and compared its performance with our standard quality control (QC) workflow. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The BB mode was validated for precision, linearity, and carry-over in detecting residual cells in red blood cell concentrates, platelet concentrates, and plasma products. Results obtained were compared to those of manual flow cytometry (for rWBC and rRBC) and impedance-based hematology analysis (for platelet counts) across over 1000 blood components. RESULTS: Methods validation showed high linearity, acceptable precision at low cell concentrations, and no analytical interference. Comparison between workflows revealed similar results for hemoglobin, hematocrit, and leukocyte counts. rRBC values measured by BB mode were ~2.3-fold higher than those obtained by manual flow cytometry, although all values remained within product specifications. Platelet counts were consistently higher with BB mode (PLT-F) than with impedance, with a 15-51% increase depending on the product. Flow cytometry confirmed that PLT-F results better reflect the true platelet content than impedance. CONCLUSION: The XN-1000 BB mode is a reliable and efficient alternative to manual methods for QC monitoring of blood components. It offers accurate residual cell quantification, increases laboratory throughput, and simplifies workflows.