Calibration Bias and Imprecision for Automated Hematology Analyzers: An Evaluation of Significance of Short-Term Bias Resulting from Calibration of an Analyzer with S Cal™

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Abstract
A Coulter S + IV® analyzer was used both before and after recalibration with S Cal™ to analyze a series of patient blood specimens and stabilized control specimens. A statistically significant bias was introduced as compared with results on the same analyzer calibrated to fresh whole blood, but the degree of bias did not appear to approach medical significance when compared with two external theoretical models for determining acceptable bias in hematology analysis. Long-term bias accumulation on analyzers calibrated to control or stabilized calibration material remains a problem that must be addressed by further study.