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I've been using Gel for all routine testing since 1995 and ProVue since 2004-5. All our specimens (EDTA) are initially centrifuged for 3 minutes in a Stat Spin Express centrifuge. You should use only platelet-poor plasma when testing in Gel. Standard laboratory centrifugation does not give you platelet-poor plasma. Part of our standard routine for resolving ABO Plasma Grouping discrepancies and weakly positive antibody screens is to centrifuge the specimen three (3) more times for a total of 9 minutes of high-speed centrifugation and retest in Gel. This will reduce but not entirely eliminate the "sprinkles". To me, "sprinkles" in Gel correspond to the "sticky cells" seen in microscopic reading of standard tube tests. I don't think "sprinkles" are clinically significant. We standardized reading of gel cards using lighted 35mm photographic slide viewer. This viewer has the milky plastic background see in X-Ray viewers and that is used by ProVue.