Lab Investigation Flashcards
1
Q
Describe the site of blood cell production and where maturation occurs?
A
- Site: Bone marrow primarily in long bones
- Maturation: Occurs in Bone Marrow where mature cells are found within the peripheral blood
2
Q
Haemapoeitc stem cell differentiation
A
VD for this slide
3
Q
State the 7 factors used in RBC results of a full blood count
A
- Hb: concentration of Haemoglobin
- Hct: Percentage of blood volume as BC
- MCV: Average size of RBC
- MCH: Average haemoglobin content of RBC
- RDW: Range of deviation around RBC size
- Reticulocyte count
- Blood film
4
Q
Apart from RBC results, what other results are used in a full blood count?
A
- White Blood Cells Results: Total WBC and differential, Neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, basophils, eosinophils
- Platelets results: Platelet count and size
- Others: Warning Flags
5
Q
What does a blood film show?
A
- Confirming numbers
- Morphology: Are the cells normal?
6
Q
What factors are being looked for in red cells?
A
- Size: Big or small or anisocytosis (RBCs unequal in size)
- Colour: Hb content
- Shape: Round, Tear drop, irregular, Elliptocytes- Poikylocytosis
- Polychromasia: Bluish grey colour due to immature RBCs
- Inclusions: Nutrients or pigments found within the cell but have no activity
7
Q
What factors are being looked for in white cells?
A
- Number: Too many or Too few
- Normal morphology: dysplastic features
- Immature cells: Myelocytes, precursors
- Abnormal cells: Blasts, Atypical lymphoid cells
- Inclusions
8
Q
How is a white cell profile produced and what happens if the differentials aren’t displayed correctly?
A
- FBC processed using optical scatter methods and presented in cytogram where population of cells are displayed in distinct cluster
- If the differentials are not displayed correctly, this alerts operator to refer the sample for a blood smear to be examined; as shown on left cytogram with immature granulocytes in the neutrophil region
9
Q
State advantages of using an automated haemolotogy analyzer?
A
- Efficient and cost effective:
- Processing of large number of samples.
- Accuracy and precision of quantitative blood test
- Ability to perform multiple test on single platform
- Reduced labour requirements
- Invaluable for accurate determination of red cell indices; e.g. MCV
10
Q
State disadvantages of using an automated haemolotogy analyzer?
A
- Flagging of laboratory test results demand labour intensive manual examination of blood smear.
- Comments on red cell morphology cannot be generated.
- Platelet clumps are counted at single, so low count.
- Expensive with high running cost
11
Q
State the test for the presence of the malarial parasite and the bands?
A
Malarial antigen test
12
Q
Examples of blood films
A
View diagrams
