AAB Medical Technologist MT Generalist Practice Exam 2025 - Complete Prep Resource

The correct calculation for the corrected white blood cell (WBC) count accounts for the presence of nucleated red blood cells (RBCs) in the blood sample, as these can falsely elevate the WBC count in automated analyzers. When nucleated RBCs are present, they can be counted as white blood cells, leading to an inaccurate total WBC count.

The formula for correcting the WBC count involves taking the observed WBC count and factoring in the number of nucleated RBCs. The correct approach is to multiply the observed WBC result by the ratio of 100 to the sum of the number of nucleated RBCs plus 100. This gives a more accurate reflection of the actual WBCs present in the sample by neutralizing the effect of the nucleated RBCs.

Applying this formula takes into consideration the dilution effect, allowing the calculated result to represent the true count of white blood cells. Thus, using the appropriate correction ensures clinicians have a clear understanding of the patient's immune status without the interference of nucleated RBCs skewing the results.