HEMATOLOGY FINAL Flashcards
ACANTHOCYTES
KEY IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Acanthocytes have 2-20 uneven spicules or thornlike projections with no central pallor. CAUSE OF MORPHOLOGY: caused by excess cholesterol with increased cholesterol to phospholipid ratio resulting in increased
surface area
DISEASES/CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MORPHOLOGY: liver disease, abetalipoproteinemia, post splenectomy, malabsorption, hypothyroidism and vitamin E deficiency.
TARGET CELLS
KEY IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Central dark area of Hemoglobin surrounded by colorless ring of Hemoglobin.
• CAUSE OF MORPHOLOGY: Caused by excess lipid on surface of the cells
• DISEASES/CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MORPHOLOGY: Hemoglobinopathies, thalassemia, iron deficiency anemia, splenectomy, obstructive liver disease
ECHINOCYTES/BURR CELLS
- KEY IDENTIFYING FEATURES: RBC has central pallor and short blunt relatively evenly distributed spicules around the entire RBC
- CAUSE OF MORPHOLOGY: Cause can be physiological environmental factors ↑pH ↓albumin, metabolic state of the cell, use of some chemicals, that form bumps on RBC surface. Projection may be due outer expansion of lipid bilayer compared to inner layer. Excess EDTA or slow drying artifact
- DISEASES/CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MORPHOLOGY: occur in uremia, cancer of stomach, bleeding peptic ulcer, liver disease, heparin therapy, vitamin E deficiency, pyruvate kinase deficiency,
TEAR DROP CELLS
KEY IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Must have a central pallor and must be pointing in different directions.
• CAUSE OF MORPHOLOGY: caused by being pulled beyond their range of deformability and consequently unable to return to their original shape
• DISEASES/CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MORPHOLOGY: in myelofibrosis, myelophthisic anemia and thalassemias.
OVALOCYTES/EPILOCYTES
KEY IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Range from egg shape to sausage shape
• CAUSE OF MORPHOLOGY: ?
• DISEASES/CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MORPHOLOGY: megaloblastic anemia, iron deficiency
STOMATOCYTES
KEY IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Have slit-like pallor
• CAUSE OF MORPHOLOGY: Increasing hgb concentration with progression from center to periphery of cell. This causes a decreased ratio of the surface area to the volume in the erythrocytes.
• DISEASES/CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MORPHOLOGY: Hereditary Stomatocytosis, alcoholism, liver disease, Rh null phenotype and artifact.
SPHEROCYTES
- KEY IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Lack central pallor, round
- CAUSE OF MORPHOLOGY: Fibrin strands, thermal injury, intrinsic abnormalities, immune hemolysis
- DISEASES/CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MORPHOLOGY: commonly seen in Hereditary Spherocytosis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, transfused cells, severe burns.
SCHISTOCYTES
- KEY IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Lack central pallor, irregular shape
- CAUSE OF MORPHOLOGY: Primarily caused by RBCs being ripped apart by fibrin (blood clots) in the blood vessels
- DISEASES/CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MORPHOLOGY: Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) and Hemolysis with Elevated Liver Enzymes and Low Platelets (HELLP) all produce fibrin. Other causes include artificial heart valves, burns, Heinz bodies formation.
SICKLE CELLS
- KEY IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Lack central pallor, irregular shape
- CAUSE OF MORPHOLOGY: Primarily caused by RBCs being ripped apart by fibrin (blood clots) in the blood vessels
- DISEASES/CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MORPHOLOGY: Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) and Hemolysis with Elevated Liver Enzymes and Low Platelets (HELLP) all produce fibrin. Other causes include artificial heart valves, burns, Heinz bodies formation.
MICROCYTES
- KEY IDENTIFYING FEATURES: RBC is smaller than the nucleus of a small lymphocyte.
- CAUSE OF MORPHOLOGY: Conditions that prevent hemoglobin production. MCV <80fL
- DISEASES/CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MORPHOLOGY: iron deficiency anemia, chronic inflammation, lead poisoning, hemoglobinopathies and sideroblastic anemia
HYPERCHROMASIA
KEY IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Large central pallor >1/3 the diameter of the cell.
• CAUSE OF MORPHOLOGY: MCHC low, lack of hemoglobin concentration
• DISEASES/CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MORPHOLOGY: Iron deficiency anemia, thalassemias, sideroblastic anemia, lead posing and some cases of anemia of chronic inflammation
OVAL MACROCYTES
KEY IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Large than the nucleus of a small lymph, oval shape
• CAUSE OF MORPHOLOGY: MCV >100fL
• DISEASES/CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MORPHOLOGY: B12 , Folate deficiency and Myelodysplastic Syndromes.
POLYCHROMASIA
- KEY IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Larger than mature RBC, gray-blue colour
- CAUSE OF MORPHOLOGY: Premature red cells, increases in peripheral blood are due to lack of RBC production, as a result immature cells appear to compensate for the loss
- DISEASES/CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MORPHOLOGY: Acute and chronic hemorrhage, hemolysis, effective treatment for anemia and neonates
BASOPHILLIC STIPPLING
- KEY IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Larger than mature RBC, gray-blue colour
- CAUSE OF MORPHOLOGY: Premature red cells, increases in peripheral blood are due to lack of RBC production, as a result immature cells appear to compensate for the loss
- DISEASES/CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MORPHOLOGY: Acute and chronic hemorrhage, hemolysis, effective treatment for anemia and neonates
HOWELL-JOLLY BODIES
KEY IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Round dark purple bodies that are a solid colour, they sit on top of RBC
• CAUSE OF MORPHOLOGY: They are remnants of the nucleus (DNA) that come about as a result of impaired DNA synthesis such as megaloblastic anemia and in cases where the spleen is absent or dysfunctional.
• DISEASES/CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MORPHOLOGY: Splenectomy, hyposplenism, megaloblastic anemia, hemolytic anemia
