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Hematology analyzers, most of them automated, that count the number of immature red blood cells (reticulocytes) in a blood sample. These dedicated analyzers are usually based on fluorescence quantification of reticulocytes and flow cytometry techniques; automated reticulocyte analysis can also be performed using automated cell-counting hematology analyzers based on nonfluorescent measurements. Automated methods improve the precision of reticulocyte counting. Most of these analyzers allow for semiquantitative assessment of reticulocyte RNA level and derivation of a reticulocyte maturity index (RMI). Some manual reticulocyte analyzers include an ocular disk (i.e., Miller disk) to facilitate counting, but there is a high degree of inaccuracy in the manual reticulocyte count, owing to error and lack of reproducibility.
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