Hematology Exam 2 Flashcards
Stain used to view blood smears and bone marrow
Wright’s Stain
Stain to view reticulocytes
New Methylene Blue
What type of stain is New Methylene Blue?
Supravital
Stain used to view iron
Prussian Blue
A normocytic, normochromic erythrocyte typically measures at how many microns?
7 microns
Central pallor of erythrocytes is typically __/__ of the cell
1/3
TRUE or FALSE
Even if only one or two cells are seen to have abnormalities (ex. echinocyte), you will make note of it on the differential.
FALSE
In order to be clinically significant, MOST abnormal morphology needs to be seen in every field.
DEFINITION:
Variation in size
Anisocytosis
DEFINITION:
Variation in shape
Poikilocytosis
DEFINITION:
Size of RBC
(indices)
Mean Cell Volume
(MCV)
DEFINITION:
Average weight of hemoglobin in red blood cell
(indices)
Mean Cell Hemoglobin
(MCH)
DEFINITION:
Average concentration of hemoglobin in each red blood cell
(indices)
Mean Cell Hemoglobin Concentration
(MCHC)
TRUE or FALSE
Spherocytosis is the only case that a smear would be called hyperchromic
TRUE
Otherwise it doesn’t ‘really’ exist (misnomer)
DEFINITION:
Pale blue-gray erythrocytes (Wright’s Stain)
Polychromasia
DEFINITION:
Pale blue-gray erythrocytes (New Methylene Blue Stain)
Reticulocytes
What is the size of most erythrocytes?
6-8 microns
What is the normal range for MCV?
80-100 fL
What do we typically compare RBCs to for reference on size?
The nucleus of a normal ‘resting’ lymphocyte
MCV>100 should typically show what type of RBCs under a microscope?
Macrocytes
What intracellular issue typically causes Macrocytes?
Impaired DNA synthesis in the nucleus
What is typically happening to cause macrocytes in the blood?
>1% of RBCs are being destroyed
Changes in membrane lipids causing the cell to spread-out (macrocytes) can be seen in which disease?
Liver disease
MCV<80fL should show what type of RBCs in a peripheral smear?
Microcytes
Intracellular cause of microcytes
Impaired hemoglobin synthesis
-Any deprivation of hemoglobin molecules will cause an increase in cell division, decreasing cell size.
Examples of impaired hemoglobin synthesis that will cause microcytes
(3)
-Thalassemia - involves globin chain
-Iron deficiency anemia (IDA)
-Lead poisoning - interferes with heme synthesis
RBC Shape:
- Rod or oval
- oval shape increases as cell matures
- Hereditary or acquired condition
- Defect in spectrin affecting the horizontal linkage of cell cytoskeleton
Ovalocytes
(Elliptocytes)
You can see ovalocytes (elliptocytes) for many reasons.
How many can you remember?
(6 given in lecture)
-Hereditary ovalocytosis (if majority are oval)
-Sickle cell anemia
-Iron deficiency anemia
-RBC enzyme deficiences
-Pernicious anemia as macro-ovalocytes
-Miscellaneous anemia (non-specific)
Another name for ovalocytes
Elliptocytes
Another name for sickle cells
Drepanocytes
Abnormal hemoglobin S causes this type of RBC shape
Sickle cell
This form of hemoglobin can cause the following:
- Decreased solubility
- Homozygous causes severe hemolytic anemia
- Heterozygous have both normal and abnormal hemoglobin
- Sickling occurs when oxygen tension decreases
Hemoglobin S
Drepanocytes are specific for which disease?
Sickle Cell Disease
TRUE or FALSE
You WILL report drepanocytes even if only a small number of them are seen
TRUE
Drepanocytes = Sickle cells
RBC Shape:
- Small spherical cells with pointed irregular spaced projections radiating from cell tips
- Tips may be bent back or are bulb-like
- 3 or more blunt spicules of uneven length
- Cells have no central pallor
Spur cells
AKA
Acanthocytes
An altered lipid content (increased cholesterol) can cause this RBC shape
Acanthocytes
AKA
Spur cells
When are acanthocytes most often observed in peripheral smears?
(4 given in lecture)
-Liver disease
-Congenital Abetalipoproteinemia (rare)
-Alcoholic liver disease
-Post-splenectomy
RBC Shape:
- “Sea urchin”
- 10-30 rounded spicules evenly placed over the surface of the erythrocyte
- Spicules may be even, sharp, and random
Echinocytes
AKA
Burr/Crenated cells
When are echinocytes observed?
(5 ways given in lecture)
-Liver disease
-Uremia (increased blood urea due to kidney disease)
-Dehydration
-Peptic ulcers
-Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency
TRUE or FALSE
Burr cells are caused due to a change in the tonicity of the cell when there is an anion imbalance
FALSE
Burr cells occur due to a cation imbalance (sodium and potassium)
TRUE or FALSE
It isn’t necessary to call schistocytes unless you see a lot of them
FALSE
Always make note of schistocytes
RBC Shape:
- Fragments are formed as RBC is abnormally desrtoyed
- RBC may become damaged as it squeezes through small damaged vessel
Schistocytes
What were the 5 reasons given in lecture for why we might see schistocytes in a peripheral smear?
-Coagulation defects such as DIC
-Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia
-Heart-valve hemolysis
-Severe burns (heat damages spectrin in membrane)
-Uremia
The helmet cell, aka keratocyte, is a variant form of which abnormal RBC shape?
Schistocyte
Another name for Dacryocyte
Tear Drop Cell
RBC Shape:
- Round cell with a single elongated or pointed extremity
- Pear-shaped
Dacryocytes
AKA
Tear Drop Cell
What would cause us to see dacryocytes?
(4 ways given in lecture)
-Myelofibrosis (fibrous material in bone marrow)
-Extra-medullary hematopoiesis
-Enlarged spleen or removal of inclusion from a cell by the spleen (macrophages try to grab RBC but RBC escapes)
-Megaloblastic Anemia
RBC Color:
- Central pallor >3microns
- Due to impaired hemoglobin synthesis
- Usually observed alongside microcytosis
- Can be measured with MCH and MCHC
- May be observed due to water artifact
Hypochromasia
RBC Color:
- Term used to describe the blue-gray RBCs observed on Wright Stain
- Normally will observe ~1% of RBCs looking this way
- If increased number is observed, indicates the bone marrow is increasing output of cells
Polychromasia
Where are the highest number of polychromatic cells is observed?
(4 given in lecture)
-Post hemorrhage
-Hemolytic anemia
-Significant loss of RBCs
-Following treatment of iron deficiency anemia
- Increased production of RBCs with no central pallor
- Defect in membrane protein causing vertical disruption between transmembrane proteins and underlying cytoskeleton
- Only cell described as hyperchromic
- Decreased surface area to volume ratio
- Causes extravascular hemolysis
- MCHC >36%
- MCV ~80fL
Spherocytosis
RBC Shape:
- Cell loses part of its membrane from antibody or genetic defect
- May be hereditary or due to an immune hemolytic anemia
- ANY observed is considered clinically significant
Spherocytes
What is always considered clinically significant in a peripheral blood smear?
-Parasites
-Sickle cells
-Schistocytes
-Spherocytes
Abnormal RBC:
- Bell shaped
- Appear very thin and flat on smear
- “Bull’s eye”
Target Cell
AKA
Codocyte
Another name for Target Cell
Codocyte
What causes codocytes?
A rearrangement of hemoglobin
This abnormal RBC has an increased cell membrane and surface area due to lipid alteration causing the cells to expand.
Codocytes
AKA
Target Cells
TRUE or FALSE
Codocytes cause decreased hemoglobin leading to thalassemia and severe cases of iron deficiency anemia
TRUE
What are some disorders that can cause an increase in membrane lipids leading to viewing codocytes on a peripheral smear?
(4 given in lecture)
-Liver disease (aquired)
Hemoglobinopathies such as:
-Sickle cell anemia
-Hemoglobin C disease
-Thalassemia
Abnormal RBC:
- Cup shaped
- “Kiss cell”
- Often is an artifact
- Central pallow is slit-shaped or rectangular
Stomatocytes
TRUE or FALSE
An electrolye imbalance causing potassium to be increased and sodium to be decreased can produce stomatocytes in a peripheral smear
False
the imbalance is from increased sodium and decreased potassium
TRUE or FALSE
Stomatocytes are observed in alcoholism
TRUE
RBC inclusion:
- Remnants of nuclear material (DNA)
- Small deep blue, round granule typically in the periphery of the cell
Howell-Jolly Body
Cause of Howell-Jolly Bodies
(2 reasons given in lecture)
-Accelerated or abnormal erythropoiesis
-Spleen not removing (pitting) piece of nucleus
Non-functioning spleen is the most common reason
Howell-Jolly Bodies are observed in which type of Megaloblastic anemias?
-B12 deficiency
-Folic acid deficiency
Faulty maturation of RBC precursors
TRUE or FALSE
Splenomegaly or splenectomy can cause Howell-Jolly bodies to be seen in peripheral blood smears
TRUE
non-functioning spleen is the most common reason we see Howell-Jolly Bodies
RBC inclusion:
- Aggregates or clumped ribosomes containing RNA (denatured RNA)
- Indicates altered or impaired hemoglobin synthesis
- Granules are distributed throughout the RBC (either fine or coarse)
Basophilic stippling
What causes basophilic stippling granules to appear fine/small?
Thalassemia
What causes basophilic stippling granules to appear coarse?
Lead poisoning
RBC inclusion:
- Collection of mitochondria and ribosomes that contain iron
- Contain non-heme iron (Fe3+) that was not utilizedin hemoglobin production (due to ineffective iron metabolism)
Pappenheimer Bodies
RBC inclusion:
- on Wright’s stain - subtle pale dots near periphery of cell
- Typically appear in doublets or triplets
Pappenheimer Bodies
Confirmation stain for Pappenheimer bodies
Prussian Blue
or
Iron Stain
RBC inclusion:
This inclusion is seen in sideroblastic anemia
Pappenheimer bodies
Type of anemia:
- Iron overload
- Overabundance of iron metabolism causing iron to be stored in other places besides the liver and bone marrow
Sideroblastic anemia
When would we see pappenheimer bodies?
(3 possibilities discussed in lecture)
-Sideroblastic anemia
-Thalassemia
-Splenectomy
When using Prussian Blue stain, pappenheimer bodies are called ________________
Siderocytes
Definition:
Non-nucleated red blood cell in which particles of iron are visible with Prussian Blue stain
Siderocyte
Definition:
Nucleated red blood cell precursor that shows excessive iron granules with Prussian Blue stain
Sideroblast
Definition:
Nucleated red blood cell precursor with at least five granules that circle at least one third of the nucleus with Prussian Blue stain
Ringed Sideroblast
RBC inclusion:
- Not seen with Wright Stain
- Must use Supravital stain
Heinz Bodies
Types of supravital stains (2)
-New Methylene Blue
-Crystal Violet
RBC inclusion:
- Composed of denatured or precipitated hemoglobin
- Large round masses lying under or attached to the cell membrane
Heinz Bodies
RBC inclusion:
Observed in:
- G6PD deficiency
- Unstable hemoglobin, causing iron to be unprotected
- Oxidizing drugs
- Alpha thalassemia
Heinz Bodies
RBC inclusion:
- Ring or figure 8 forms
- Contain arginine-rich histone and non-hemoglobin iron
- Thought to be remnants of spindle fibers, which form during mitosis
- Very rare
Cabot Rings
RBC inclusion:
Observed in:
- Severe anemias
- Pernicious anemia
- Dyserythropoiesis
Cabot Rings
RBC inclusion:
- Oblong dark crystal
- Not normally present in normal adult blood
- Diagnostic
- Abnormal hemoglobin crystallizes
Hemoglobin C Crystals
RBC inclusion:
- Indicaties infectin with one of four species of parasite
- Stages observed is dependent on type with ring forms being most common
- Must be careful to not confuse with platelet on top of RBC
- Always clinically significant even if only 1 is seen
Malaria
4 different species of Malaria
-P. malariae
-P. falciparum
-P. vivax
-P. ovale
(P = Plasmodium)
RBC inclusion:
- Always abnormal in adult peripheral blood
- Few are normally observed in newborn blood (2-24/100 WBC on newborn)
- Typically a metarubricyte
Nucleated Red Blood Cell
-NRBC-
2 situations that would cause RBCs to clump
-Agglutination
-Rouleaux
Red Cell Distribution:
- Random clumping of RBCs
- Usually due to a cold antibody
- MCV increases, RBC count decreases, MCHC >38%
-Agglutination
Red Cell Distribution:
These antibodies will stop agglutinating at 37C (Body temp)
IgG
Red Cell Distribution:
These antibodies will stop agglutinating at 25C (Room temp)
IgM
Red Cell Distribution:
What is suggested for agglutination?
Warm specimen to 37C
Red Cell Distribution:
- Red blood cells look like stacks of coins
- Due to elevated antibodies (globulins) or improper balance of proteins in serum
- Thick parts of normal peripheral smears can look this way
Rouleaux
Red Cell Distribution:
An improper balance of these globulins/proteins would likely cause rouleaux on a peripheral smear
(3)
-IgG
-IgA
-Fibrinogen
Red Cell Distribution:
When could you encounter rouleaux?
(3)
-Multiple myeloma
-Liver disease
-Chronic inflammation
Types of RBCs that are diagnostic even if only a few are seen
(7)
-Schistocytes
-Sickle cells
-C crystals
-Malaria/other blood parasites
-Target cells if anemia is present
-Tear drops cells in some settings
-Spherocytes in some settings (severe burn)
- Simple, non-specific screen for inflammation in hematology
- Anticoagulated blood stands undisturbed for 1 hour
- Distance in millimeter that RBCs will fall in one hour in a vertical tube of defined length
ESR
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
Determines presence of anemia
Hemoglobin
and
Hematocrit
Cloud of negative charges found on RBC cell membrane
Zeta
- Increased fibrinogen
- In vivo rouleaux formation of cells
- Anemia
- Macrocytosis
- Hypercholesterolemia
- Hyperfibrinogenemia
- Hypergammaglobulinemia
- Leukemia
- Diabetes Mellitus
How would all of the above affect an ESR?
Increase fall-out
(Settle faster)
- Polycythemia
- Sickle cells
- Spherocytes
- Leukocytosis
How would all of the above affect an ESR?
-Decrease Fall-Out
(settle slower)
Normal ESR values for Females and children
0-20 mm/hr
Normal ESR values for males
0-15 mm/hr
2 commonly used methods for ESR
Wintrobe
Westergren
ESR method:
- Utilizes a 100mm column
- Allows for increased sensitivity in detecting mildly elevated ESRs
Wintrobe method
ESR method:
- Considered universal reference method
- Uses 200mm column with 2.55mm internal diameter
- Allows for the detection of highly elevated ESR
Westergren method
Increase or Decrease ESR:
Vertical slant
Falsely increase
Increase or Decrease ESR:
Temperature higher that room temp (25C)
Falsely increase
Increase or Decrease ESR:
Temperature lower than room temperature (25C)
Falsely decrease
Increase or Decrease ESR:
Bubbles
Falsely decrease
Increase or Decrease ESR:
Abnormal shapes such as sickle cell or spherocytes
Falsely decrease
(won’t rouleaux)
Increase or Decrease ESR:
Improper anticoagulants
(Sodium oxalate, potassium oxalate, and heparin)
Falsely increase
(causes RBCs to shrink)
Increase or Decrease ESR:
Concentration of anticoagulant
-tube not properly filled
Falsely increases
(causes cells to alter shape - spherocytes)
ESRs may be increased which cancers?
(2)
-Multiple myeloma
-Leukemia
Increase or Decrease ESR:
Hypercholesterolemia
Increased
Increase or Decrease ESR:
Viral or bacterial infection
Increased
Increase or Decrease ESR:
Rheumatoid arthritis
Increased during flare up
Increase or Decrease ESR:
Osteoarthritis
Increased
Increase or Decrease ESR:
Hyperfibrinogenemia
Increased
-Large pigmented protein that gives red cells their color
Hemoglobin
Components of hemoglobin
(3)
-Protoporphyrin Ring IX
-Tetramer of four polypeptide chains
-Ferrous iron
Function:
-Carries oxygen to tissue and brings CO2 back
Hemoglobin
Reference method for measuring hemoglobin
Cyanmethemoglobin