Haematology

Question 1

What is PCV?

Answer 1

Packed cell volume - volume percentage of RBCs in blood

Question 2

What is the buddy coat?

Answer 2

Layer in between plasma and RBC containing leucocytes and platelets

Question 3

What is RBC?

Answer 3

Red blood cell concentration

Question 4

What is HGB?

Answer 4

Amount of haemoglobin in the blood in g/dL

Question 5

What is HCT?

Answer 5

Haematocrit (PCV)

Question 6

What is MCV?

Answer 6

Mean corpuscular volume - average volume of the red blood cells

Question 7

What is MCH?

Answer 7

Mean corpuscular haemoglobin - average haemoglobin per red blood cell

Question 8

What is MCHC?

Answer 8

Mean cell haemoglobin concentration - average concentration of haemoglobin in the cells

Question 9

What is RDW?

Answer 9

Red cell distribution - variation of cellular volume with the RBC population

Question 10

What is the difference between haemoglobin content and concentration?

Answer 10

Content = g
Concentration = g/dL

Question 11

How can you class anaemia?

Answer 11

Mild, moderate or severe?

Regenerative or non-regenerative?

Question 12

How would you class anaemia in terms of MCV (cell size)?

Answer 12

Normocytic
Microcytic
Macrocytic

Question 13

How would you class anaemia in terms of MCHC?

Answer 13

Normochromic
Hypochromic
Hyperchromic

Question 14

How could you tell whether you have a regenerative anaemia?

Answer 14

Whether bone marrow has responded to a drop in oxygen tension - (more new RBCs)

Question 15

What is normocytic anaemia?

Answer 15

Erythrocytes of unremarkable size (associated with Non-regenerative anaemia)

e.g. acute haemorrhage

Question 16

What is microcytic anaemia?

Answer 16

Small RBCs

Associated with Fe deficiency and hepatic failure or genetics (Akitas)

Question 17

What causes microcytic anaemia?

Answer 17

Red cell haemoglobin concentration determines when the red blood cell division stops -> iron deficiency allows for an extra division

Question 18

What is marcocytic anaemia?

Answer 18

In regeneration, young red blood cells are bigger

Question 19

What is a polychromatophil?

Answer 19

Young RBC

Stains more blue and larger with Diff-Quick

Question 20

What is normochromic/hypocrhomic anaemia?

Answer 20

Based on haemoglobin concentration –> Fe deficiency

Question 21

What are the only 2 reasons for regenerative anaemia?

Answer 21

Haemolysis

Haemorrhage

Question 22

What are the most common causes of non-regenerative anaemia?

Answer 22

Anaemia of chronic disease
Chronic renal failure
Decreased production in marrow

Question 23

What is a reticulocyte?

Answer 23

Young RBS

RNA precipitates forming aggregates with New Methylene Blue

Question 24

What is the difference between polychromatophil/reticulocyte?

Answer 24

They are the same cell, just stained differently

Question 25

How would you proportion reticulocytes change in anaemic animals?

Answer 25

Proportion would increase

Question 26

What may you see in a blood smear that would be useful in terms of diagnostics?

Answer 26

``` Spherocytes Ghost cells Leptocytosis Shear products Oxidative damage Organisms ```

Question 27

What is WBC?

Answer 27

White blood cell concentration

Question 28

What is neutrophilia?

Answer 28

Increased number of neutrophils

Question 29

What is neutropenia?

Answer 29

During inflammation blood levels decrease as they relocate to tissues

Question 30

What is left shift?

Answer 30

Increase in band neutrophil production

Question 31

What is a clue of toxicity in a neutrophil?

Answer 31

Frothy blue cytoplasma | Dohle bodies

Question 32

What is a regenerative left shift?

Answer 32

Neutrophilia | Segmented > Bands

Question 33

What is degenerative left shift?

Answer 33

Neutropenia | Bands > Segmented

Question 34

Describe acute leukemia

Answer 34

Blast cells in circulation More likely to be lymphoid origin If signs of segmented - myeloid origin

Question 35

Describe chronic leukemia

Answer 35

Chronic lymphoid leukaemia -> lymphocytes appear small and mature Chronic myeloid leukaemia -> neutrophils appear normal

Question 36

What is a problem with platelets in terms of complete blood counts?

Answer 36

Clumping means machines underestimate

Question 37

What is haematopoietin?

Answer 37

Protein that enhances erythopoiesis Stimulates formation of proerythroblasts and release of reticulocytes from the bone marrow Formed by kidney and liver.