Drucker Diagnostics QBC Horizon 755VES Centrifuge (120V, 60Hz) - Manual (Page 6)

Section 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTENDED USE
The QBC Capillary Centrifuge (Figure 1-1) is an ultra-compact instrument, designed to spin down blood
specimens for QBC centrifugal hematology tests or the QBC Malaria Test.
1.2 SUMMARY AND EXPLANATION
1.2.1 QBC Centrifugal Hematology Tests
QBC centrifugal hematology tests are based on
a high-precision glass capillary tube containing an
equally precise plastic float. When the tube is filled
with blood, sealed, and centrifuged at high speed for
five minutes, the float is buoyed by the packed red
cells, automatically positioning the float within the
buffy coat layer, between the packed red cells and the
plasma. QBC tubes for hematology are produced in a
standard design (which contain an unassembled float
and tube closure).
Under centrifugation, blood cells in the buffy coat
layer separate according to their densities, forming
visibly discrete bands as shown in Figure 1-2. Platelets
constitute the topmost band, lymphocytes and
monocytes the center band, while granulocytes, the
heaviest band, form immediately above the packed
red cells.
Figure 1-1. QBC Capillary Centrifuge, Model 425740.
1
Figure 1-2. Cell layers in
Centrifuged QBC Hematology Tube.
PLASMA
RED CELLS
AROUND FLOAT
WHITE CELLS
(LYMPHOCYTES/
MONOCYTES/
GRANULOCYTES)
RED
CELLS
STOPPER
PLATELET LAYER
FLOAT