Blood and the Bone marrow

Question 1

how is a blood film fixed

Answer 1

methanol

Question 2

what is the most common stain for blood films in the UK

Answer 2

May-Grunwald Giemsa

Question 3

how long do you fix blood films for

Answer 3

5 mins

Question 4

how long do you fix BM for

Answer 4

15-20 mins

Question 5

staining of blood films

Answer 5

may-grunwald diluted 50:50 in buffered water ph 6.8 for 5 mins

Question 6

staining of BM

Answer 6

stain in giemsa stain diluted 1:10 buffered water pH 6.8 for 15 minutes

Question 7

how long should samples stand in buffered water for after staining

Answer 7

5 mins

Question 8

how do you examine a blood film

Answer 8

oil immersion microscopy
examine area of film where RBCS are just touching
work alongside in battlement formation either side to side or to thick part and back

Question 9

what happens when you look at a too thin section of a film

Answer 9

rbcs become circles (spherocytic)

Question 10

cells with large centre of pallor

Answer 10

hypochromic

Question 11

what is polychromasia

Answer 11

disorder where there is an abnormally high number of immature RBCs found in the blood stream as a result of being prematurely released from BM during formation

Question 12

anisocytosis

Answer 12

RBCs that are unequal in size

Question 13

normal bone marrow components

Answer 13

myeloid : erythroid ratio 3:1 (varies from 2:1 to 4:1)
cellular and fat component
even distribution
all cell types present, mature and immature

Question 14

how many slides for BM aspirate

Answer 14

usually at least 4

Question 15

what sample is needed for cytogenetics?

Answer 15

EDTA

Question 16

BONE MARROW TREPHINE BIOPSIES FIXATION?

Answer 16

10% formal saline up to 48 hrs

Question 17

how are trephine biopsies decalcified?

Answer 17

method is lab dependent
EDTA

Question 18

how are trephine biopsies stained?

Answer 18

H + E
iron stain - perl’s reaction
immunohistochemistry
reticulin staining (silver impregnantion)