Search
peripheral blood smear
Microscopic examination of blood obtained from a peripheral vein or capillaries.
Indications:
1) examination of cell morphology
a) erythrocytes
b) leukocytes
c) platelets
2) identification of parasites
a) malaria
b) microfilaria
Clinical significance:
erythrocyte findings
- microcytosis & anisocytosis -> iron deficiency
- spherocytes -> warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia, hereditary spherocytosis
- macrocytes -> megaloblastic anemia, myelodysplasia, use of antimetabolite (nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor)
- schistocytes -> microangiopathy
- schistocytes & thrombocytopenia -> TTP
- schistocytes & prosthetic heart valve -> heart valve leak
- RBC agglutination -> cold agglutinin hemolysis (Mycoplasma)
- rouleaux -> paraproteinemia (multiple myeloma)
- target cells -> thalassemia, hemoglobinopathy, liver disease
- sickle cells -> sickle cell anemia
- nucleated RBC -> marrow stress
- tear drop cells -> myelofibrosis, bone marrow granuloma, bone marrow infiltration
- bite cells -> G6PD deficiency
- burr cells -> kidney disease
- spur cells -> severe liver disease
- elliptocytes -> hereditary elliptocytosis
- stomatocytes -> hereditary stomatocytosis, artifact
Procedure:
- Wright stain is commonly used for peripheral smears
General
clinical hematology test
smear for microscopy
References
- Clinical Diagnosis & Management by Laboratory Methods,
19th edition, J.B. Henry (ed), W.B. Saunders Co.,
Philadelphia, PA. 1996, pg 574-86
- Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 16,
American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 2012
- Blevins SM, Greenfield RA, Bronze MS
Blood smear analysis in babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, relapsing
fever, malaria, and Chagas disease.
Cleve Clin J Med. 2008 Jul;75(7):521-30
PMID: 18646588
Component-of
anemia panel
DIC panel
Images
images related to peripheral blood smear