Haematology - Blood Films Flashcards
What are ACANTHOCYTES and which conditions are they indicative of?
RBCs show many spicules
Conditions: LIVER DISEASE, hyposplenism, abetalipoproteinaemia (rare)
What is BASOPHILIC STIPPLING and which conditions is it indicative of?
Accelerated erythropoeisis or defective
Hb sysnthesis, small dots at the periphery are seen (rRNA)
Conditions: Lead poisoning, megaloblastic anaemia, myelodysplasia, liver disease, haemaglobinopathy (e.g. thalassaemia)
What are BURR CELLS (ECHINOCYTES) and which conditions are they indicative of?
Like a sea urchin with regular spicules
Conditions: OFTEN artefact if blood has sat in EDTA prior to film being made.
Uraemia, renal failure, GI bleeding, stomach carcinoma
What are HEINZ BODIES and which conditions are they indicative of?
Inclusions on very edge of RBCs due to denatured Hb
Conditions: GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE DEFICIENCY, chronic liver disease
What are HOWELL-JOLLY BODIES and which conditions are they indicative of?
Basophilic (purple spot) nuclear remnants in RBCs (much bigger spots in nucleated RBCs)
Conditions: POST-SPLENECTOMY or HYPOSPLENISM (Causes: sickle cell disease, coeliac disease, congenital, UC/Crohn’s, myeloproliferative disease, amyloid), MEGALOBLASTIC ANAEMIA, hereditary spherocytosis
What does LEUCOERTHYROBLASTIC mean and what does it indicate?
A phase to denote the presence of nucleated red blood cells and myeloid precursors in peripheral blood.
Conditions: Marrow infiltration (e.g. myelofibrosis, malignancy)
What are PELGER HUET CELLS and what conditions do they indicate?
Hyposegmented neutrophil with 2 lobes like a dumbbell. Hypogranular.
Conditions: Congential = lamin B receptor mutation, Acquired = myelogenous leukaemia + MYELODYSPLASTIC SYNDROMES (pseudo-pelger in MDS)i
What is POLYCHROMASIA and which conditions does it indicate?
Bluish red blood cells due to presence of DNA. Polychromatic cells are usually reticulocytes (immature RBCs).
Conditions: Usually increased naturally in response to shortened RBC life (e.g HAEMOLYTIC ANAEMIAS) + decreased in APLASTIC ANAEMIA, chemo
What is RIGHT SHIFT and which conditions does it indicate?
Hypermature white cells: hypersegmented polymorphs (>5 lobes due to nucleus)
Conditions: MEGALOBLASTIC ANAEMIA, uraemia, liver disease
What is ROULEAUX FORMATION and which conditions does it indicate?
Red cells stacked on each other.
Conditions: Chronic inflammation, paraproteinaemia, MYELOMA
What are SCHISTOCYTES and which conditions do they indicate?
Fragmented parts of RBCs, typically irregularly shaped with sharp edges and no central pallor.
Conditions: Micoangiopathic anaemia (e.g. DIC, HAEMOLYTIC URAEMIC SYNDROME, THROMBOTIC THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA, pre-eclampsia)
What are SPHEROCYTES and which conditions do they indicate?
Sphere-shaped RBCs, often a little smaller.
Conditions: Hereditary spherocytosis, autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
What are STOMATOCYTES and which conditions do they indicate?
Central pallor is straight or curved rod-like shape. RBCs appear as “smiling faces” or “fish mouth”.
Conditions: Artefact during slide preparation, OR hereditary stomatocytosis, high alcohol intake, liver disease
What are TARGET CELLS (CODOCYTES) and which conditions do they indicate?
Bull’s eye appearance in central pallor.
Conditions: Liver disease, hyposplenism, thalassaemia, IDA
