Haematology Flashcards
Polychromasia
Reticulocytes (blue cells)
Normoblast
Immature/nucleated RBC (precursor to reticulocyte)
High number is abnormal after first week of life
Poikilocytosis
Abnormal shaped RBC
Eliptocyte
severe iron deficiency, thalassaemia, hereditary eliptocytosis
Sphereocyte
Very round, uniform
Hereditary spherocytosis - splenomegaly. Diagnosed with osmotic fragility test, neg DCT
Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia - pos DCT, ABO incompatibility
Bite cell
G6PD deficiency
Blister cell
G6PD deficiency
Target cell
Thalassaemia, post splenectomy
Sickle cell
Sickle cell anaemia, Hb SS disease
Burr cell
Looks like stars
HUS
DIC
Anisocytosis
Unequal sized RBC
Microcytic
Small
Iron deficiency, thalassaemia, sideroblastic anaemia
Macrocytic
Big
B12/Folate deficiency
Schistocyte
Fragmented “helmet” RBC
Microangiopathic disease - DIC, TTP, HUS
Haemolytic anaemia, mechanical valve
Basophilic stippling
Blue dots on outer part of cell
Lead poisoning
Thalassaemia, myelodysplasia, B12 deficiency
Auer Rod
Small rod inside cell
AML
Heinz body
Small Hb inclusion on the edge of the cell
G6PD deficiency, oxidant drugs
Howell Jolly Body
DNA inclusion inside the cell
Asplenism e.g. sickle cell Dx - functional asplenia
Severe haemolytic anaemia
Haemoglobin J inclusion
Small inclusions throughout whole cell
Haemoglobin H disease