Blood Film

Question 1

Anisocytosis

Answer 1

Variation in size of the red blood cells

Myelodysplastic syndrome

Question 2

Target cells

Answer 2

central pigmented area, surrounded by a pale area, surrounded by a ring of thicker cytoplasm on the outside

Iron deficiency anaemia
Post-splenectomy

Question 3

Heinz Bodies

Answer 3

Individual blobs seen inside red blood cells
Caused by denatured globin

G6PD
Alpha-thalassaemia

Question 4

Howell-Jolly bodies

Answer 4

Post-splenectomy

Severe anaemia

Question 5

Reticulocytes

Answer 5

Immature red blood cells
1% = normal

Haemolytic anaemia

Question 6

Schistocytes

Answer 6

Fragments of red blood cells
Indicate the red blood cells are being physically damaged by trauma

Haemolytic uraemic syndrome
Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
Thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura

Metallic heart valves
Haemolytic anaemia

Question 7

Sideroblasts

Answer 7

Immature red blood cells

Occur when the bone marrow is unable to incorporate iron into the haemoglobin molecules

Question 8

Smudge cells

Answer 8

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Question 9

Spherocytes

Answer 9

Red blood cells without the normal bi-concave disk space

Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
Hereditary spherocytosis