lecture 2 Flashcards
what does CBC stand for? what does it include?
CBC stands for complete blood count, includes:
- WBC count
- RBC count
- platelet count
- hemoglobin
- hematocrit
- MCV, MCH, MCHC
- RDW
- differential (automated/manual)
what is the name of the commonly used automated system?
model S coulter counter
what does the microhematocrit method determine? and what is the amount expressed as?
- determines maximum packing of the RBCs
- expressed as PCV, or Hct
what are the specimen requirements for a microhematocrit method?
- blood anticoagulated with EDTA or heparin
- use non-anticoagulated capillary tubes
- venous or capillary blood can be used
- special capillary tubes (coated with heparin) can be used to fill blood directly from the puncture site
why do we use non-anticoagulated capillary tubes?
- to avoid over-anticoagulation
- excess of anticoagulant can cause cell shrinkage
- lead to falsely low values
we use heparin, citrate, and EDTA for the whole blood used in the microhematocrit method (T/F)
false, we don’t use citrate
what are the pieces of equipment used in the microhematocrit method?
- non-graduated glass capillary tubes (can be lined with heparin for use with capillary blood or without heparin with previously anticoagulated venous blood)
- seal (clay) to seal one end of the tube
- special microhematocrit centrifuge
- Since the capillary tubes are not graduated, a special reading device is used to measure the % of packed RBCs (gives Hct directly as %)
what does the buffy coat consist of?
leukocytes and platelets
is the wintrobe method still used? and why?
- large amount of time & specimen required
- inaccurate due to the big amount of trapped plasma (greater than that found in the microhematocrit technique)
how does the macrohematocrit method measure hct/pcv?
- filling a wintrobe tube with whole blood
- centrifuging it for 30 minutes
- PCV was read from a scale on the tube
what is another name for the macrohematocrit technique?
wintrobe method
automated hct key points
- hct is obtained by an electronic cell counter
- it is calculated from the rbc count and mcv
- not directly measured
- not affected by the trapped plasma
- value will be lower than the value obtained from centrifugation
what is hemoglobin determination used for?
- measures the amount of hemoglobin in blood
- to see how much oxygen is being carried by RBCs
- used to screen for anemia…
relation between the oxygen-carrying ability of blood and Hb concentration
The oxygen-carrying ability of blood is directly proportional to its hemoglobin concentration
the number of RBCs indicates blood’s oxygen content (T/F)
false, the number of RBCs doesn’t indicate blood’s oxygen content because some cells may contain more Hb than others
what is the composite of hemoglobin in blood?
- oxyhemoglobin
- carboxyhemoglobin
- methemoglobin
- sulfmethemoglobin
what is carboxyhemoglobin composed of?
Hb combined with carbon monoxide
how to measure hemoglobin accurately in blood?
we should prepare a stable derivative containing all hemoglobin forms present
which hemoglobin derivative is abnormal? and why?
- sulfmethemoglobin
- not capable of transporting oxygen
(it is formed by the action of some drugs and chemicals such as sulfonamides)
+ methemoglobin (oxidation of Hb iron)
when is methemoglobin formed?
oxidation of Hb iron from the ferrous to the ferric state (incapable of carrying oxygen)
what is the name of the stable derivative? and what is it composed of?
- cyanmethemoglobin or hemoglobin cyanide
- composed of all hemoglobin forms except for sulfmethemoglobin
what is the process of forming cyanmethemoglobin?
- mixing a predetermined quantity of blood with potassium ferricyanide (K3 Fe (CN) 6) and potassium cyanide (KCN)
- potassium ferricyanide converts the Hb iron from the ferrous state (Fe++) to the ferric state (Fe+++) to form hemiglobin or methemoglobin (Hi)
-This combines with potassium cyanide to form Hemoglobincyanide (HiCN)
how does cyanmethemoglobin determine hemoglobin concentration?
Cyanmethemoglobin produces a color that is measured in a colorimeter, spectrophotometer (wavelength of 540nm), or automated instrument. The color relates to the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood
relation between absorbance and Hb concentration
absorbance is directly proportional to the concentration of Hb