Rare cell detection and recovery method

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of detecting rare cells in which, upon spreading a cell suspension in a flow path formed on a microchamber chip, the loss of rare cells is reduced by improving the cell recovery rate. The present invention provides a method of detecting rare cells from a cell suspension by using a cell-spreading device 10 comprising a microchamber chip 1, a flow path-forming frame 2, an inlet port 3, and an outlet port 4; and a method of recovering rare cells comprising : the step (X) of introducing a cell suspension to a flow path 5 via the inlet port 3 so as to spread cells in the flow path 5 on the microchamber chip 1; and the step (Y) of storing the cells spread in the flow path 5 on the microchamber chip 1 in microchamber 6s by intermittent liquid feeding or the like.