What the evidence supports

Histograms, scattergrams, and flags add method-specific evidence about distributions, cluster separation, dispersion, overlap, and review-rule triggers. A peripheral smear supplies morphology evidence that these signals cannot: it can confirm NRBCs, immature granulocytes, platelet clumps, RBC agglutination, and distribution changes. Neither signal pattern nor smear finding alone makes a clinical diagnosis.

WDF and WNR are declared XN-series channels in this workflow. WDF supports differential classification; WNR separately enumerates WBC and NRBC. That distinction prevents double correction: an already WNR-derived corrected WBC must not receive the older manual NRBC correction formula. A different analyzer's reporting design must be verified before any correction decision.

The local outcome is a documented smear review followed by release of the WNR-derived WBC with the locally authorized comment. Other flags or interference pathways may lead to repeat analysis, alternate measurement, recollection, or escalation when their separately validated criteria are met.