Detection of spherocytosis in dogs with immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia.

We now have seven HPFs left, and to obtain an average of five spherocytes over the 10 HPFs, there should be 50 - 12 = 38 spherocytes in total of the remaining seven HPFs, which on average would be 5.43 spherocytes in each of the remaining HPFs. To quote from the consensus statement: A threshold of >= 5 spherocytes/x100 oil immersion field therefore could be considered supportive of a diagnosis of IMHA, but 3-4 spherocytes/x100 oil immersion field also may be consistent with IMHA provided that no other cause of spherocytosis is identified. And because the consensus statement reports >=5 (a whole number) and not >=5.0, one would have to round up or round down when calculating the average value, that is, 44 spherocytes in total over 10 HPFs would give an average of 4.4, which would be rounded down to 4, while 45 spherocytes over 10 HPFs would be 4.5, which would be rounded up to 5. [Extracted from the article]