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Fetal Cells, Kleihauer Betke

Fetal Cells, Kleihauer and Betke, fetal hemoglobin, hemoglobin F, acid elution slide test, acid elution for fetal hemoglobin

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB474

Department

Hematology

Instructions

At Royal Oak, except for Saturday afternoon, Sunday and holidays, all acid elution requests are performed as a Fetal RBC Assay by the Flow Cytometry Laboratory because of increased accuracy and precision.

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect (preferred specimen): One 4.0 mL Lavender-top K₂EDTA tube. (Minimum: 2.0 mL)
Also acceptable: One Lavender-top K ₂EDTA Microtainer^®. (Minimum: 300 mcL)

One Pink-top K₂EDTA Microtainer^®. (Minimum: 200 mcL)

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Maintain specimens refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F) prior to transport. Room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F) is acceptable for a maximum of 2 hours.

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: Whole blood or capillary blood, refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F). (Minimum: 2.0 mL whole blood or 300 mcL capillary blood)

Rejection Criteria

• Specimens containing clots.
• Insufficient volume.
• Frozen specimens.
• Centrifuged specimens.

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 2 hours
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 48 hours
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): Unacceptable

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 5 days

Laboratory

Dearborn Blood Bank Laboratory
Farmington Hills Hematology Laboratory
Royal Oak Hematology Laboratory
Taylor Blood Bank Laboratory
Trenton Blood Bank Laboratory
Troy Hematology Laboratory
Wayne Blood Bank Laboratory

Performed

Dearborn, Farmington Hills, Troy & Wayne: 
Sunday – Saturday, 24 hours a day. Results available within 24 hours. 

Royal Oak:
Monday – Friday (before 3:00 pm), Saturday (before 1:30 pm) in Royal Oak Flow Cytometry. Results available within 4 hours. 

Saturday (after 1:30 pm), Sunday, and Holidays in Royal Oak Hematology Laboratory. Results available within 8 hours.

EC requests are trauma cases that define a possible fetal bleed. Afternoon, midnight and weekend requests from EC will be processed immediately.

Reference Range

Less than or equal to 0.30%.

Test Methodology

Flow Cytometry or Kleihauer-Betke.

Interpretation

Normal adult blood will contain less than 0.01% Hb F cells. Acceptable results for OB patients is less than 0.30%. In full term newborns, fetal cells are about 90%.

Clinical Utility

Fetal blood may enter into the maternal circulation during pregnancy, at delivery, during abortion, and as a result of trauma. When a Rh negative mother is carrying a Rh positive fetus the amount of fetal erythrocytes present in the maternal circulation determines the dose of Rh immune globulin that should be administered to the mother. This assay aids in determining the appropriate dose of Rh immune globulin that should be administered to the mother.

CPT Codes

85460
LOINC: 75373-1

Contacts

Last Updated

8/8/2024