Quick Review Cards for Medical Laboratory Science

RBC Morphologycontinued Hematology Review 301

ABNORMALITY DESCRIPTION SIGNIFICANCE

Schistocytes

Sickle cells (drepanocytes)

Hemoglobin C crystals

Hemoglobin SC crystals

Teardrops (dacryocytes)

Staining
Hypochromia

Anisochromia

Polychromasia

RBC fragments

Crescent, S or C shaped, boat shaped,

oat shaped

Blunt, 6-sided, dark-staining projection.

“Bar of gold.” “Washington monument”

Glove-like intracellular crystals

Teardrop shaped

Central pallor >1/3 cell diameter

Mixture of normochromic &

hypochromic RBCs

Bluish-gray color

RBCs split by fibrin strands. Microangeopathic hemolytic

anemias (DIC, TTP, HUS), prosthetic heart valves.

Sickle cell anemia.

Hemoglobin C disease.

Hemoglobin SC disease.

Myelofibrosis, thalassemia & other anemias.

Iron deficiency anemia, thalassemia.

Dimorphic anemia, post-transfusion.

Young RBCs. Retics with supravital stain. Sign of active

erythropoiesis. 1%–2% in normal adult. ↑with acute

blood loss, hemolytic anemia, following treatment for iron

deficiency or pernicious anemia.

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