diagnostic role of the blood film

Question 1

what are signs of a bacterial infection on a blood film

Answer 1

absence of mature neutrophils- indicative of left shift (band form)
clear vacuole within cytoplasm of neutrophil

Question 2

what are indications of CML on a blood film

Answer 2

spectrum of granulocytic cells from myeloblasts to mature neutrophils

Question 3

what is an indication of megaloblastic anaemia on a blood film

Answer 3

maturation of the nucleus is abnormal 
hyper segmented neutrophils 
oval macrocytes
macrocytosis 
early deficiency- macrocytosis without poikilocytosis or hypersegementation

Question 4

what is haemotoxylin and eosin used for

Answer 4

haemotoxylin- purple blue
binds to acidic components in cells
most useful for binding to dna, showing the nucleus of the cell

eosin- pink
binds to protein components in the cytoplasm

Question 5

how would you recognise these cells on a blood film

• lymphocyte
• eosinophil
• neutrophil

Answer 5

small cell, near spherical nucleus, little cytoplasm . 8 micrometres

bi lobar nucleus
cytoplasm is granulated and very pink
12 micrometres

multilobed nucleus with a few cytoplasmic granules
10-12 micrometres

Question 6

how would you recognise these cells on a blood film

• basophil
• monocyte
• platelets

Answer 6

cytoplasmic granules staining strongly blue, lobed nucleus 10-15 micrometres

indented nucleus, pale granules in cytoplasm . 17-20 micrometres

bluish clumps found on smears 2-4 micrometres