Haematology

Question 1

What does haematology involve?

Answer 1

the diagnosis and treatment of patients who have disorders of the blood and bone marrow.

Question 2

Examples of disorders

Answer 2

• haemophilia
• leukaemia
• lymphoma
• sickle cell anaemia

Question 3

Full blood count

Answer 3

helps in diagnosing anaemia, certain cancers of the blood, inflammatory disease and monitor blood loss and infection

Question 4

Platelet count

Answer 4

To diagnose and/ or monitor certain types of bleeding and blood clotting disorders

Question 5

Prothrombin time (PT)
Partial thromboplastin time (PTT)
International normalised ratio (INR)

Answer 5

Help to evaluate bleeding and clotting disorders and to monitor anticlotting therapies

Question 6

What does a full blood count involve?

Answer 6

• counting the number of red blood cells , white blood cells and platelets per millilitre of blood
• calculating the mean size of red blood cells
• calculating the proportion of blood made up from red blood cells
• the amount of haemoglobin in red blood cells
• different counts of the number and type of white blood cells e.g lymphocytes

Question 7

What is the method for a full blood count?

Answer 7

• blood is collected by inserting a needle into a vein and allow the blood to flow into a tube
• the blood sample is then taken to a laboratory where the red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are counted