Terminology Flashcards
Anisocytosis
Increased variation in cell size
Poikilocytosis
red cells show more variation in shape than is normal
Microcytosis
red cells are smaller than is normal
Macrocytosis
Red cells are larger than normal
Microcytic
Red cells that are smaller than normal or an anaemia with small red cel
Normocytic
red cells that are of normal size or an anaemia with normal sized red cells
Macrocytic
red cells that are larger than normal or an anaemia with large red cells
Hypochromia
the cells have a larger area of central pallor than normal (due to low Hb)
Hyperchromia
Erythrocyte cells lack central pallor
(high haemoglobin or abnormal shape)
Spherocytes
cells that are approximately spherical in shape
(type of Hyperchromia)
Irregularly contracted cells
irregular in outline but are smaller than normal cells and have lost their central pallor
(usually due to oxidant damage to cell membrane or Hb)
Polychromasia
describes an increased blue tinge to the cytoplasm of a red cell (indicating the cell is young) reticulocyte
Target cells
cells with an accumulation of haemoglobin in the centre of the area of central pallor
(in obstructive jaundice, liver disease, haemoglobinopathies and hyposplenism)
Elliptocytes
in hereditary elliptocytosis
cells elliptical in shape
(in iron deficiency anamia or hereditary disease)
Schistocytes
Cell fragments
Rouleaux
stacks of red cells
The resemble a pile of coins
(due to an alteration of plasma protein)
Agglutinates
irregular, red cell clumbs
Howell‒Jolly body
nuclear remnant in a red cell
(normally due to a lack of splenic function)
Leucocytosis
too many white cells
Leucopenia
too little white cells
Neutrophilia
too many neutrophils
Neutropenia
too few neutrophils
red cells show more variation in shape than is normal
Poikilocytosis
the cells have a larger area of central pallor than normal (due to low Hb)
Hypochromia
Erythrocyte cells lack central pallor
(high haemoglobin or abnormal shape)
Hyperchromia
cells that are approximately spherical in shape
(type of Hyperchromia)
Spherocytes
describes an increased blue tinge to the cytoplasm of a red cell (indicating the cell is young) reticulocyte
Polychromasia
cells with an accumulation of haemoglobin in the centre of the area of central pallor
(in obstructive jaundice, liver disease, haemoglobinopathies and hyposplenism)
Target cells
cells elliptical in shape
(in iron deficiency anamia or hereditary disease)
Elliptocytes
in hereditary elliptocytosis
Cell fragments
Schistocytes
stacks of red cells
The resemble a pile of coins
(due to an alteration of plasma protein)
Rouleaux
irregular, red cell clumbs
Agglutinates
nuclear remnant in a red cell
(normally due to a lack of splenic function)
Howell‒Jolly body
