The Visual Inspection Tool is divided into separate pages based on four component types (RBCs, platelets, plasma and cryoprecipitate). For each of these four component types, a number of conditions that may be associated with a change in their appearance have been identified.
Use the menu on the left side to enter the Visual Inspection Tool. Click on your component of interest (e.g., RBCs) or go directly to the condition of interest (e.g., RBCs: hemolysis)
Within the Visual Inspection Tool, buttons along the top of each page represent different conditions (e.g., lipemia, bacterial contamination) associated with that component type.
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Click on one of the buttons to see photos of units affected by that condition, viewed alongside a typical unit.
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If additional photos are available for a specific condition, the photo tile will indicate “Click to see more examples.” Clicking on a photo tile will open a window [modal] where users can scroll through additional photos. To close the window, select the “X” in its top right corner (avoid using the back button on the browser window, as this will return to the main Visual Inspection Tool landing page).
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To navigate to a different component type, use the drop-down menu available on the top right of each component type. Or, use the breadcrumbs above the banner heading to navigate back to the Visual Inspection Tool menu on the homepage.
Inspection of the blood components should take place in a well-lit area.
Important disclaimer: The labels that appear on component photos used in the Visual Inspection Tool may represent local labelling practices, not necessarily the labelling practices of Canadian Blood Services. The Visual Inspection Tool is not intended to be used to verify the placement, appearance or specifications of labels.
Labelling of blood and blood components in Canada follows the Canadian Guidelines for the Uniform Labelling of Blood and Blood Components Using ISBT 128. See our Uniform labelling best practice, which includes a link to the Canadian guidelines for the uniform labelling of blood and blood components using ISBT 128.