Patent ID: 7450223

Claim:
A sample analyzer comprising: a detection unit for irradiating a biological sample with light and obtaining optical information; a cell classifier for classifying cells contained in the biological sample into cell groups based on the optical information, the cell groups comprising a reticulocyte group and a mature erythrocyte group; a scattered light information obtainer for obtaining first scattered light information relating to reticulocytes included in the reticulocyte group and second scattered light information relating to mature erythrocytes included in the mature erythrocyte group; a calculator for calculating a first component value corresponding to an amount of hemoglobin contained in the reticulocytes included in the reticulocyte group based on the first scattered light information, a second component value corresponding to an amount of hemoglobin contained in the mature erythrocytes included in the mature erythrocyte group based on the second scattered light information, and the difference between the first component value and second component value; and an output device for outputting the difference calculated by the calculator.