A sample imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging section for imaging a stained sample on a slide glass, said stained sample including a stained cell to generate a cell image relating to the stained cell included in the stained sample; a white blood cell detector for detecting white blood cells from the stained sample, and a blood cell classifier for classifying the white blood cells detected by the white blood cell detector into a plurality of types, wherein the imaging section is configured to generate the cell images relating to the white blood cells detected by the white blood cell detector, the sample imaging apparatus being characterized in that it comprises a staining abnormality detector for detecting an abnormality relating to staining of the stained sample on the basis of the cell image generated by the imaging section, and a storage section for storing a reference value which is used to detect the abnormality relating to staining of the stained sample, wherein the staining abnormality detector is configured to obtain a characteristic value indicating a characteristic of the stained cell on the basis of the cell image, compare the reference value with the characteristic value and detect the abnormality relating to the staining of stained sample, wherein the staining abnormality detector is configured to detect the abnormality relating to staining of the stained sample on the basis of a white blood cell classified into a predetermined type by the blood cell classifier, and wherein the staining abnormality detector is configured to obtain, as the characteristic value, information relating to luminance of a predetermined color component in a cell portion of the cell image. an imaging section for imaging a stained sample on a slide glass, said stained sample including a stained cell to generate a cell image relating to the stained cell included in the stained sample; a white blood cell detector for detecting white blood cells from the stained sample, and a blood cell classifier for classifying the white blood cells detected by the white blood cell detector into a plurality of types, wherein the imaging section is configured to generate the cell images relating to the white blood cells detected by the white blood cell detector, the sample imaging apparatus being characterized in that it comprises a staining abnormality detector for detecting an abnormality relating to staining of the stained sample on the basis of the cell image generated by the imaging section, and a storage section for storing a reference value which is used to detect the abnormality relating to staining of the stained sample, wherein the staining abnormality detector is configured to obtain a characteristic value indicating a characteristic of the stained cell on the basis of the cell image, compare the reference value with the characteristic value and detect the abnormality relating to the staining of stained sample, wherein the staining abnormality detector is configured to detect the abnormality relating to staining of the stained sample on the basis of a white blood cell classified into a predetermined type by the blood cell classifier, and wherein the staining abnormality detector is configured to obtain, as the characteristic value, information relating to luminance of a predetermined color component in a cell portion of the cell image.