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HelpTest Code RETC Reticulocyte Count
Specimen and Container/Tube
Specimen Type: Whole blood
Preferred Specimen: lavender top
Other Acceptable specimens: not applicable
Specimen Handling and Transport Instructions
UCMC Onsite Instructions: Collect specimen per standard collection procedure and send to laboratory immediately.
UCMC Offsite and UC MedLab Outreach Instructions: Collect specimen per standard collection procedure and send to laboratory immediately. Specimens must be received within 8 hours. If transport is delayed, refrigerate specimens prior to transport.
Rejection Criteria
- Common specimen rejected situations include: incorrect specimen type, insufficient volume, missing or incomplete specimen identifiers, incorrect specimen transport, or specimens outside stability limits.
- Frozen or heated specimens will be rejected
- Clotted or quantity not sufficient specimens are not suitable for testing and will be rejected
Reference Values
|
Analyte |
Age |
Sex |
Reference Range |
|
Percent Reticulocyte |
0 days |
Male and female |
1.8 – 4.6 % |
|
Percent Reticulocyte |
7 days |
Male and female |
0.1 – 0.9 % |
|
Percent Reticulocyte |
1 month |
Male and female |
0.1 – 1.7 % |
|
Percent Reticulocyte |
3 months |
Male and female |
0.4 – 1.0 % |
|
Percent Reticulocyte |
6 months |
Male and female |
0.7 – 2.3 % |
|
Percent Reticulocyte |
1 year |
Male and female |
0.6 – 1.7 % |
|
Percent Reticulocyte |
2 years |
Male and female |
0.5 – 1.0 % |
|
Percent Reticulocyte |
3 years and up |
Male and female |
0.5 – 1.5 % |
|
Absolute Reticulocyte |
0 days |
Male and female |
70.2 – 252.8 x103/uL |
|
Absolute Reticulocyte |
7 days |
Male and female |
3.9 – 56.4 x103/uL |
|
Absolute Reticulocyte |
1 month |
Male and female |
3.0 – 91.5 x103/uL |
|
Absolute Reticulocyte |
3 months |
Male and female |
12.4 – 44.5 x103/uL |
|
Absolute Reticulocyte |
6 months |
Male and female |
25.9 – 121.4 x103/uL |
|
Absolute Reticulocyte |
1 year |
Male and female |
23.4 – 89.8 x103/uL |
|
Absolute Reticulocyte |
2 years |
Male and female |
19.5 – 52.8 x103/uL |
|
Absolute Reticulocyte |
3 years |
Male and female |
20.0 – 77.8 x103/uL |
|
Absolute Reticulocyte |
12 years and up |
|
19.4 – 78.9 x103/uL |
|
Reticulocyte Hemoglobin Content |
All |
Female |
27.7 – 37.6 pg |
|
Reticulocyte Hemoglobin Content |
All |
Male |
30.0 – 37.5 pg |
Critical Values
Not applicable
Turnaround Time
Turnaround times are relative to the time the specimen is received in the test laboratory.
STAT Turnaround Time: 60 minutes
Routine Turnaround Time: 240 minutes
Testing Schedule: 24/7
CPT Codes
85046
LOINC Codes
RETP 17849-1, RETA 60474-4, RETI 3111-8, RETHE 71694-4
Volume
Preferred Volume: 4.0 mL
Minimum Volume: 1.0 mL
Specimen Stability
|
Storage Temperature |
Stability |
|
Room temperature (20 - 25°C) |
24 hours |
|
Refrigerated (2 - 10°C) |
24 hours |
|
Frozen (-20°C) |
not acceptable |
Collection Instructions
Collect specimen per standard laboratory collection procedures.
Test Components
Reticulocyte relative, reticulocyte absolute, reticulocyte hemoglobin content (Ret-He), reticulocyte production index (RPI)
Clinical Indications
- Evaluation of erythropoiesis
Methodology
Sysmex XN automated method, Miller disc manual method
Synonyms/Search Keywords
Retic count
Last Reviewed Date
8/12/2024