Schematic of the density-based tests to identify SCD.

Both versions of the SCD-AMPS are designed to separate dense red blood cells present in SCD from whole blood. Blood passes through the phases—top (T) and bottom (B) for SCD-AMPS-2 and top (T), middle (M), and bottom (B) for SCD-AMPS-3—upon centrifugation. If sickled cells are present, they collect at the interface between the bottom phase and the seal (B/S), and provide a visual readout for the presence of SCD. In SCD-AMPS-3, the additional phase allows the discrimination of Hb SS from Hb SC by evaluating the distribution of red cells at the upper interfaces (between the top and middle phases (T/M) and the middle and bottom phases (M/B).