Performance evaluation of the Sysmex XN-1000 hematology analyzer in assessment of the white blood cell count differential in pediatric specimens

Introduction The automated XN‐1000 hematology analyzer enables to perform a blood cell count and a leukocyte differential. When abnormal cells were detected, a flag was generated by the analyzer and a manual microscopic examination of the corresponding blood film was performed. Methods We compared the white blood cell differentials provided by the automated hematology analyzer XN‐1000 in a pediatric population (n = 765) with those obtained through microscopic examination by cytologists and those obtained using a previous version of this analyzer, the XE‐2100. Leukocytes count as well as flags sensitivity and specificity was analyzed. Results The leukocytes count provided by the analyzer is in good accordance with the differential obtained by manual count in children older than 3 months. The sensitivity for blast detection is 99% and the detection of reactive cells is 63%. The flag specificity remains low (