Haematology Path. Flashcards
Describe Howell Jolly Bodies
- usually single, rounded, basophilic
- represents DNA remnants
- seen in megaloblastic anaemia, Post splenectomy & functional hyposplenism
Describe Pappenheimer bodies
- represent ferritin
- multiple, irregular, granular
- basophlilc (pale blue)
- confirmed by Perl’s stain (+ve as iron present)
- seen in Sideroblastic anemia, megaloblastic anemia, hemolytic anemia & post splenectomy
Describe Heinz Bodies
- represents denatured haemoglobin
- single or multiple, rounded
- basophilic (pale blue)
- seen in G-6-PD deficeincy & oxidative hemolysis
Describe Haemoglobin H inclusions
- represents 4 B globin chains
- multiple, small, diffusely distributed
- basophilic (pale blue)
- seen in alpha thalassemia
Describe Cabot Ring
- represents remnant of mitotic spindle
- rings or figure of 8 shape
- red or purple
- seen in megaloblastic anemia, leukaemia, MDS & myelofibrosis
Describe Basophilic Stippling
- represents ribosomal RNA
- multiple, small diffusely distributed
- Basophilic (dark blue)
- perl’s stain (-ve)
- seen in lead poisoning, megaloblastic & sidedroblastic anemia & thalassemia
What stain are Howell-Jolly Bodies seen with?
Giesma based stains
Define Hyposplenism
under functioning spleen
What 2 mechanisms remove immature red cells normally?
- spleen -removes inclusions without destroying the cells they’re confined in
- bone marrow - DNA removed from normoblasts that exist in the bone marrow through endothelial pores
How can you stain Heinze Bodies?
- methylene blue
What is Basophlilc stippling an example of ?
- severe clinically significant erthyrocte inclusions
What stain do you use for Basophilic stippling?
Wright-Giemsa stain
What are Barr bodies?
morphological expression of the inactivated X chromosome in females
What are Dohle Bodies?
- single/multiple blue cytoplasmic inclusions
- remnants of RER
- associated with myeloid left shifts & are seen in conjugation with toxic granulation
What is meant by a left shift?
- an increase in granulocyte count with more primitive forms of neutrophiles seen in circulation
What can cause a left shift?
ususally bacterial infections, metabolic disorders (acidosis/gout) & drugs like corticosteroids
Describe Auer Rods
- Distinctive needle like crystals that are specific for virtually diagnotic of a myeloid neoplastic clone
What are giant platelets ususally associated with ?
- Bernard-Soulier Syndrome
Describe Bernard-Soulier Syndrome
- genetic defects of GPIb-IX-V complex on platelet membrane
- platelet doesn’t have efficient binding to von Willebrand’s factor
- defects lead to giant platelets in circulation
