Retic Count Test

Anaemia, Sickle cell disease, Bone marrow transplant, Chemotherapy

Our blood is majorly made up of red blood cells (RBCs). These cells are essential for our survival as they transport oxygen all over the body. They contain a particular chemical called Haemoglobin, the main protein responsible for the red colour of red blood cells and oxygen transportation.

The human body constantly makes new red blood cells. The lifespan of red blood cells is only four months or 120 days. Our body has a spongy substance in the centre of our bones called bone marrow. This substance is responsible for making new RBC cells. Bone marrow initially creates immature RBC cells known as reticulocytes. They are larger than mature red blood cells. Reticulocytes are around 0.5% to 1.5% of the total red blood cells.

Retic count test is used to check the concentration of reticulocytes in the blood. It also checks if the bone marrow is functioning correctly or not. If the body’s red blood count is too low or too high, the body will try to balance out the concentration by releasing more or fewer reticulocytes.

A retic count test is used to diagnose various medical conditions related to blood count. The following conditions might warrant a retic count test: Bone marrow disorder, Anaemia, Chemotherapy, Bone marrow transplant, Iron deficiency, Kidney disease

Other names of Retic count test

• Reticulocyte Percent
• RPI
• Reticulocyte test
• Reticulocyte Production Index

What does the Retic count test detect/measure and who is this prescribed for?

The Retic count test measures the levels of reticulocytes in the blood.

A Retic count test is ordered when a patient is experiencing symptoms of conditions related to low or high red blood counts. Some of these conditions are:

• Aplastic anaemia: In this condition, the reticulocyte count is low. This means that the bone marrow is not working at an optimal speed.
• Iron deficiency anaemia: This condition is also related to low reticulocyte count. Apart from aplastic anaemia, iron deficiency can also be why the bone marrow cannot produce reticulocytes optimally.
• Hemolytic anaemia: In this condition, the reticulocyte count is higher than usual. In this anaemia, the body destroys red blood cells before the end of their lifespan, resulting in the bone marrow working overtime to replace them.
• Pernicious anaemia: In this condition, the body does not get the vitamin B12 it requires, thus resulting in a low reticulocyte count.

Anaemia is a blood disorder that can happen to anyone. So it is crucial to look out for symptoms such as:

• Headache
• Unusual heartbeat
• Shortness of breath
• Pain in the bones and joints
• Fatigue
• Cold hands and feet
• Dizziness

The Retic count test is also done in exceptional cases such as during chemotherapy, after a bone marrow transplant and in disorders like sickle cell disease. The doctor can order the test for anyone with a deficiency, disorder or disease that affects red blood count.

When will a patient need to get tested with retic count?

Anaemia is the most common disorder related to retic count. If you are experiencing the following symptoms, you should get your retic count tested:

• Headache
• Unusual heartbeat
• Shortness of breath
• Pain in the bones and joints
• Fatigue
• Cold hands and feet
• Dizziness

The Retic count provides the result as a percentage of the total RBC count. The percentages are higher in newborns than in adults. The reference ranges are as follows:

The ranges vary from lab to lab and should be reported to a specialist for accurate interpretation.

The results of a Retic count test are given out as a percentage of the red blood cells. The reference range for adults is 0.5% to 1.5% of red blood cells. And the reference range for newborns is 3% to 6% of red blood cells. The retic count test results are interpreted along with other tests such as red blood cell count, haemoglobin or CBC. The results are interpreted in 3 ways:

• Normal: An average retic count is when the reticulocytes are within the reference range. This generally means the patient is not affected by any blood disorder or deficiency and the bone marrow is working optimally.

• High: A high retic count along with low RBC, haemoglobin can indicate the following conditions:

1. Hemolytic anaemia: In this condition, the reticulocyte count is higher than normal. In this anaemia, the body destroys red blood cells before the end of their lifespan. It results in the bone marrow working overtime to replace them.
2. Bleeding: If the patient has been bleeding profusely, the reticulocytes rise to make up for all the red blood cells lost during the bleeding.
3. The reticulocyte count can also be higher after treatment for conditions like pernicious anaemia, folic acid deficiency or iron deficiency anaemia.

• Low: A low retic count along with low RBC, haemoglobin and hematocrit (volume of red cells in your blood) can indicate the following conditions:

1. Aplastic anaemia: In this condition, the reticulocyte count is low. This means that the bone marrow is not working at an optimal speed.
2. Iron deficiency anaemia: It can be why the bone marrow cannot produce reticulocytes optimally.
3. Pernicious anaemia: In this condition, the body does not get vitamin B12 as per its requirement. It results in a low reticulocyte count.
4. Bone marrow failure due to infection or cancer.

An abnormal retic count is not necessarily an indicator of a blood disorder. Conditions such as pregnancy and moving to a high altitude location can also result in abnormal results. The test results are analysed along with other tests to get an accurate idea of the condition.

A Retic count test is conducted through blood samples.

Test Preparation

The Retic count test is done through blood samples. For extracting the sample, a medical health professional will wrap a belt around the patient’s arm. Then the blood will be extracted from the vein through a sterilised needle into a small vial. The vial is then used to run tests. This process is completed within a short time of usually 5 minutes.

Test inclusions: What parameters are included?

The Retic count provides the concentration of reticulocytes in the blood. It provides the results as a percentage of the total red blood cells. If the percentage is within the reference range, that means the bone marrow is functioning normally.

How frequently should you take this test?

A Retic count test is required to be taken when the patient has symptoms of the following conditions:

• When the complete blood count test shows low levels of haemoglobin
• Chronic bleeding
• long-standing anaemia
• During chemotherapy treatment
• After a bone marrow transplant

The test is ordered as a follow-up test for other tests such as a complete blood count and haemoglobin. It is done to cross-reference the level of red blood cells with the level of reticulocytes.