Pathologic RBC Forms

Question 1

Acanthocyte = spur cell

Answer 1

SPINE-Y
Liver disease
A-beta-lipoproteinemia

Question 2

Basophilic stippling

Answer 2

Lead poisoning
Siderblastic anemia
MDS

Question 3

Dacrocyte / teardrop cell

Answer 3

Squeezed out of the bone marrow

Think bone marrow infiltrate aka myelofibrosis

Question 4

Degmacyte = bite cell

Answer 4

G6PD def

Question 5

Echinocyte = burr cell

Answer 5

Spiney but projections are more uniform across the entire RBC membrane and smaller
ESRD
Liver disease
Pyruvate kinase def

Question 6

Elliptocyte

Answer 6

Rod shaped RBC

Hereditary elliptocytosis - mutation in genes coding RBC membrane

Question 7

Ringed sideroblast

Answer 7

Excess iron in mitochondria - sideroblastic anemia

Question 8

Target cell

Answer 8

HALT the target
HbC disease
Asplenia
Liver disease
Thalassemia

Question 9

Heinz bodies

Answer 9

G6PD def

Oxidize HB-SH groups -> Hb precipitates -> damage RBC -> bite cells

Question 10

Howell Jolly bodies

Answer 10

Dysfxnal spleen

Basophilic nuclear remnants in RBCs that should have been taken out in the spleen