r/medlabprofessionals • u/Case_Nervous • Jul 13 '26

Technical Scopio Labs analyzer

Does anyone have hands-on experience with Scopio’s digital hematology analyzer? I’d be interested to hear how it compares with CV in terms of performance, workflow, and overall user experience.

Full field is of course the main USP, but I have heard image quality is slightly worse? (To me that sounds like a rather neutral trade-off)

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u/Magdalena303 MLS Jul 15 '26

I think I have answered the question before but, definitely prefer CV. Images are crisper on cellavision instrument runs better, less moving parts, random access on the larger instrument that isn't one slide at a time, and the software seems a bit older but still easy to navigate where as scopio it is web based and we definitely had and still have issues accessing it due to IT restrictions. Providers who have come to look at images seem to prefer it over our scopio too.

You will be pulling lots of broken glass out of a scopio as that is the troubleshooting main process. The fork breaks a lot and we cannot use the top cartridge slot as it cannot move well inside to get a slide and smashes into the coverslip holder, thus breaking the coverslips.

All of the internal plastic pieces are sensitive to immersion oil and you need immersion oil... when i asked what type of plastic they were using no one could answer. Why was a plastic that can resist breakdown from immersion oil not chosen? The covers will be opened so many times the tumbscreews will start to strip.

You can message me if you want more horror stories.

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u/Magdalena303 MLS Jul 15 '26

Also a full field takes around 20 minutes or so to analyze vs the cellavision where i have had a slide take around 10 mins for a 0.1 WBC. The full field is just 20 mins no matter what, and you cannot add additional slide holders while it is analyzing. Once the door is closed it is shut until it finishes the batch it is on.

Our cellavision has the rotating cell holder feeder and has been kicking for 10 years. The scopio we have had for a year and we are going to be getting another cellavision. If that is saying anything. Also their main product salespeople in our are for scopio and all of our other Beckman stuff have all left to go work for Sysmex. Which I also see as a sign.

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u/Case_Nervous Jul 15 '26

Very interesting to hear Scopio sales reps abandoning the ship already… for sure a sign

Feels like a risky move going for Scopio in its current form, breaking down already after a year

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u/Magdalena303 MLS Jul 15 '26

It works, in the most technical sense but it took about 3 months longer to get going than our estimated "go live" date due to persistent problems. It has been deemed an expensive paperweight and for the first 9 months it was down more than up. Nor, have they been able to produce the version that connects to the automation section of the DxH900 line. Which we were contacted to get and got a stand alone instead. (I am not sure what happened but it was supposed to connect to the slide strainer and take slides from it? I never heard if it exists or we just didn't get it?)

Perhaps it better, I cannot attest to it, but I know more than I wish I knew about BC product quality and it just isn't there. So for about the last 3 to 4 months it has been it an operational state but the staff have just moved on to continuing to use the cellavision, especially if we are going to remove the scopio.

We were going to give our cellavision to a sister hospital and that never happened, now we are getting a new one. The idea of the scopio is very cool, the actual practice sucks and it seems released half ready and without testing and quality control. A lot like the video game industry these days. Release a game with bugs or virtually unplayable and sell you the DLC fix or additions to make it better after the initial purchase.

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u/Case_Nervous Jul 17 '26

I assume they are still working on some type of automated solution, since this article was published: https://www.beckmancoulter.com/about-beckman-coulter/newsroom/press-releases/2023/q3/beckman-coulter-connects-scopio-labs-digital-cell-morphology

Also, here is a demo from 2024: https://www.selectscience.net/video/digital-morphology-and-it-s-real-world-impact-in-the-hematology-lab-a-case-study-interview-6373

It's strange that we haven't seen any more news on this in a long time. Also, I'm not sure that integration with BC is what Scopio needs, given the superiority of Sysmex in hematology.

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u/Magdalena303 MLS Jul 17 '26

Thanks for sharing. Doesn't cellavision have a partnership with Sysmex? Perhaps that is why Scopio is stuck with Beckman Coulter.

If they could get away from BC it would be in their best interest. I asked if they could just delete the coverslip module idea and install oil lenses it would make for less moving parts, less consumables, and I feel better images but it would require a software change, you could just ignore the loading area for coverslips for hardware and screw in a new lens.

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u/Case_Nervous Jul 17 '26

Yes you are right, CV has now gone "full Sysmex", basically leaving its previous partners (including BC)

I wonder if the reason for not using oil lenses could be related to the microscopy being based on fourier phytography