Peripheral Blood Film Flashcards
What are acanthocytes?
spicules on RBCs due to unstable RBC membraen lipid structure
What are the causes of acanthocytes?
splenectomy; alcoholic liver disease; abetalipoproteinaemia; spherocytosis
What is anisocytosis?
variation in RBC size
When is anisocytosis seen?
megaloblastic anaemia; thalassaemia; IDA
What is basophilic RBC stippling?
denatured RNA foudn in RBCs indicating acclereated erythropoiesis or defected Hb synthesis
What conditions can cause basophilic RBC stippling?
lead poisoning; megaloblastic anaemia; myelodysplasia; liver disease; haemologinopath
What are blasts?
nucleated precursor cells
What are Burr cells (echinocytes)?
RBC projections but less marked than in acanthocytes
What causes Burr cells?
liver or renal failure
When are Cabot rings seen?
pernicious anaemia; lead poisoning; bad infections
What are howell-jolly bodies/
DNA nuclear remnants in RBCs normally removed by the spleen
What is left shift?
immature neutrophils released from the marrow
What are the causes of hypochromia?
IDA; thalassaemia; sideroblastic anaemia
What are pappenheimer bodies?
granules of siderocytes containing iron
When are pappenheimer bodies seen?
lead poisoning; carcinomatosis; post-splenectomy
What is poikilocytosis?
variation in RBC shape
When is poikilocytosis seen?
IDA; myelofibrosis; thalassameia
What is right shift?
hyper mature white cells, hypersegmented polymorphs
When is right shift seen?
megaloblastic anaemia; uraemia; liver disease
What is rouleaux formation?
red cells stack on each other causing raised ESR
What causes rouleaux formation?
chronic inflammation; paraproteinaemia; myelom
What are schistocytes?
fragmented RBCs sliced by fibrin bands in intravascular haemolysis
When conditions are spherocytes found in?
hereditary spherocytosis; AI haemolytic anaemia
What are target cells?
RBCs with central staining; ring of pallor and outer rim of staining
when are target cells seen?
liver disease; hyposplenism; thalassamiea; IDA
When are tear-drop RBCs seen?
extramedullary haematopoiesis