Heme Flashcards
Rouleaux Formation
RBCs stick together like “stack of coins” due to increase plasma proteins
Disease: Multiple Myeloma
Auto Agglutination
Clumping of RBCs due to IgM auto-antibodies coating the surface of RBCs
Diseases: Cold agglutinin autoimmune hemolytic anemia
Howell-Jolly Bodies
Small dense basophilic RBC inclusions (usually removed by the spleen)
Diseases:
- Decreased splenic function: autosplenectomy (ie sickle cell disease)
- Severe hemolytic anemia, megaloblastic anemia
Hemolytic Cells
Bite Cells: bite-like deformity due to phagocyte removal of denatured Hgb
-Thalassemia, G6PD deficiency
Schistocytes: Fragmented RBCs
-Hemolytic anemia
Keratocytes: Helmet shaped RBCs; mechanical RBC damage in small vessels
Basophilic stippling
-Coarse blue granules in RBCs evenly distributed throughout the RBC
Diseases: Sideroblastic anemia; Thalassemias
Echinocytes
“Burr Cells”
RBCs w/ numerous, small, evenly spaced projections due to abnormal cell membrane
Disease: Uremia
Acanthocytes
“Spur Cells”
Few large spiny, irregular projections on the RBC membrane
Diseases: Liver dz, post splenectomy, thalassemia, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, renal dz
Target Cells (Condocytes)
HYPOchromic RBC w/ round area of central pigment “target-shaped”
Diseases:
- Sickle Cell
- Thalassemia
- Severe Fe deficiency
Hypersegmented neutrophils
Neutrophils w/ >5 lobes
Diseases: B12 & Folate deficiencies
Auer Rods
Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)
Reed-Sternberg Cells
Hodgkin Lymphoma
MCC of anemia worldwide
Iron deficiency anemia
MCC of iron deficiency anemia in the US
Chronic blood loss
- excessive menstruation
- occult GI bleed (colon cancer)
MCC of iron deficiency anemia worldwide
Decreased absorption
-Diet
Iron deficiency anemia patho
Decreased RBC production due to lack of iron & decreased iron stores (decreased ferritin)