Erythrogram - Ex 1

Question 1

What is the primary hormone that regulates RBC production

Answer 1

Erythropoietin

Question 2

RBC

Answer 2

Conc of erythrocytes: how many erythrocytes in a given volume of plasma

Question 3

Hgb

Answer 3

Conc of free Hgb w/in plasma after all the erythrocytes have been purposefully lysed

Question 4

MCV (Mean Cell Volume)

Answer 4

The average volume (size) of the erythrocytes in femtoliter (fL)

Question 5

MCHC (Mean Cell Hgb Conc.)

Answer 5

The concentration of Hgb, on average, w/in individual erythrocytes

**High MCHC is always artifactual

Question 6

RDW (Red cell Distribution Width)

Answer 6

Tells you if all the RBCs are about the same size

Question 7

Reticulocytes

Answer 7

young erythrocytes that still contain some organelles

Question 8

Hemopathology

Answer 8

Description of morphologic abnormalities

Question 9

Shape - RBCs

Answer 9

Most mammals: biconcave disc

Camelids: oval

Other vertebrates: nucleated oval disc

Question 10

Normocytic

Answer 10

RBCs with normal amount of Hgb

Question 11

Polychromatophils

Answer 11

appear bluish, indicate regenerations (will stain with reticulocytes stain)

Question 12

Hypochromasia

Answer 12

Pale; central pallor is increased

Indicates decreased Hgb concentration –> look for dec MCHC

Question 13

Anisocytosis

Answer 13

Variation in size

Question 14

Macrocytosis

Answer 14

• Regeneration
• Macrocytosis in cats, w/out polychromatic –> FeLV - with or w.out anemia

**Agglutination can result in erroneously inc MCV

Question 15

Microcytosis

Answer 15

• PSS
• Iron deficiency
• Chronic inflammatory process (rare)
• Akitas and Shiba Inus - normal have low MCV

Question 16

Echinocytes

Answer 16

“Spiny” , crenated cells

• Most common shape change! Usually an artifact
• Can occur with SEVERE electrolyte disturbances and uremia
• Rattlesnake envenomation (type III, very fine spikes)

Question 17

Acanthocytes

Answer 17

“Thorny”

• lipid abnormalities of the cell membrane

** Hemangiosarcomas

Question 18

Keratocytes

Answer 18

“Horn-like”

• Oxidative injury
• iron deficiency

Question 19

Schistocytes

Answer 19

“Split” or “fissure”

• Often seen with keratocytes and acanthocytes
• Due to shearing or intravascular trauma
• Fibrin strands with DIC
• Microangiopathic disorders
• hemangiosarcoma
• iron deficiency

Question 20

Spherocytes

Answer 20

“Round ball”

• IMHA

Question 21

Eccentrocytes

Answer 21

Hgb placed eccentrically within RBC membrane

• Oxidative damage

Question 22

Stomatocytes

Answer 22

“Mouth”

• usually due to membrane defect

Question 23

nRBCs

Answer 23

• Regeneration

* Lead poisoning

Question 24

Only way to determine regeneration

Answer 24

Reticulocytes/polychromasia

Question 25

Howell Jolly Bodies

Answer 25

Regeneration

• remnants of nuclei

Question 26

Basophilic stippling

Answer 26

• Regeneration –> ruminants especially

* lead poisoning

Question 27

Distemper virus inclusion

Answer 27

Pale spot, almost the same color of the erythrocyte

Question 28

Heinz body

Answer 28

Dark blue spot

• Oxidative denaturation

Question 29

Rouleaux

Answer 29

Normal in horses and cats

Increased with high plasma protein concentration

Question 30

Agglutination

Answer 30

IMHA