Chapter 2: Bone Marrow

Question 1

What is the average life spans of red cells, neutrophils, and platelets in circulation

Answer 1

120 days, 6-10 hrs, and 10 days

Question 2

Bone marrow aspirate smears are more informative than the bone core biopsy in the diagnosis and classification of:

Answer 2

Acute leukemia

Question 3

The least reliable specimen on which to perform an iron stain is

Answer 3

core biopsy

Question 4

Occasionally, nonhematopoietic cells are seen in the marrow aspirates. What is the cell that will most likely be misidentified as a megakaryocytic?

Answer 4

Osteoclast

Question 5

If the aspirate is unsuccessful, what are the alternative processing steps?

Answer 5

• an extra core biopsy can be obtained and placed in saline or RPMI for flow cytometric studies
• touch preparation of the core biopsy can be used for Wright-Giemsa morphologica evaluation
• touch preparations of the core biopsy can be used for FISH studies and or cytochemical studies

Question 6

In early childhood up to 1/3 of the cellularity can be comprised of what cells

Answer 6

lymphocytes

Question 7

When is a bone marrow study not indicated?

Answer 7

for pancytopenia

Question 8

state a fact about hematogones

Answer 8

morphologically they mimic blasts of lymphoblastic leukemia

Question 9

the most appropriate site for bone marrow studies is adults is

Answer 9

posterior superior iliac crest