This study compared the measurements of total cholesterol levels by means of a Reflotron dry-chemistry system and a standard laboratory method with the Hitachi 705 analyser. Simultaneous blood samples were collected by finger-prick and by venepuncture from 80 volunteers. The ranges of total cholesterol levels were 3.38-8.45 mmol/L (Reflotron) and 3.59-8.83 mmol/L (Hitachi). The mean (+/- standard deviation [SD]) difference between the two methods was 0.22 +/- 0.30 mmol/L. All the subjects provided a second finger-prick sample of blood on the next day to assess the reproducibility of the Reflotron system. The mean (+/- SD) cholesterol levels that were obtained by the Reflotron method on Day 1 and Day 2 were 5.38 +/- 1.17 mmol/L and 5.30 +/- 1.14 mmol/L, respectively. These results did not differ significantly (mean difference, 0.079 mmol/L; standard error, 0.045 mmol/L). Provided that the operator is trained appropriately, the Reflotron system gives rapid, accurate and reproducible results.