Skip to content
SearchProgress
Display

Display

Theme
Density
Text size

Sign in

Add your earlier progress to your account?

Study progress is waiting to be saved

Part 2

Hematology and hemostasis

Calculate and check blood counts, read the blood film, and interpret anemia, leukocyte, platelet, and coagulation findings before reporting.

Steps

  1. Red-cell indices13 min · Calculate MCV using the stated hematocrit and RBC units · Calculate MCH using the stated hemoglobin and RBC units · Calculate MCHC from hemoglobin and hematocrit · Calculate RDW-CV from the standard deviation of red-cell volume and the MCV
  2. How analyzers count cells and measure hemoglobin13 min · Explain how an impedance or optical analyzer counts cells and what it can miscount · Recognize and correct turbidity that falsely raises a photometric hemoglobin · Recognize trapped plasma, sealing, and spinning errors in a microhematocrit
  3. Reticulocyte counts and the marrow response14 min · Calculate a manual reticulocyte percentage · Calculate a reticulocyte percentage using the stated Miller-reticle area ratio · Calculate the absolute reticulocyte count from RBC count and reticulocyte percent · Judge whether the reticulocyte response is adequate for the anemia
  4. Chamber counts and the NRBC correction13 min · Calculate the volume counted in a hemacytometer · Calculate a cell concentration from a chamber count and dilution · Correct a WBC count that still includes nucleated red cells · Keep nucleated red cells out of the white-cell differential denominator
  5. The white-cell differential15 min · Choose a suitable blood-film area and inspect the margins separately · Classify leukocytes from the features visible on a blood film · Recognize the usual adult proportions and absolute counts of each white-cell type · Calculate an absolute leukocyte-lineage count
  6. Red-cell production, clearance and oxygen delivery15 min · Match hematopoietic growth factors to the lineages and stages they support · Order erythroid precursors by stage from their nuclear and cytoplasmic features · Trace how macrophages clear aged red cells and return their iron for reuse · Predict the direction of a hemoglobin oxygen-affinity shift
  7. Microcytic anemias and iron studies15 min · Classify an anemia pattern using MCV and RDW · Explain how hepcidin gives low serum iron with normal or high ferritin in inflammation · Recognize microcytosis with a preserved RBC count that needs hemoglobin fractionation · Recognize iron deficiency on iron studies, including when ferritin is not low
  8. Macrocytic anemias15 min · Tell vitamin B12 from folate deficiency with methylmalonic acid and homocysteine · Recognize a raised MCV caused by a high reticulocyte count · Recognize a vitamin B12 deficiency pattern from the CBC, film, and B12 result · Recognize polychromatophilic cells as young red cells on a Wright-stained film
  9. Recognizing hemolysis and its mechanism15 min · Recognize hemolysis from haptoglobin, indirect bilirubin, LDH, and reticulocyte results · Tell immune, fragmentation, and intrinsic hemolysis apart using the DAT and film · Recognize when a normal G6PD result cannot exclude deficiency · Recognize a spherocyte in the monolayer of a blood film
  10. Red-cell shapes on the film14 min · Recognize the central staining pattern of a target cell · Distinguish echinocyte projections from acanthocyte projections · Recognize schistocytes and the percentage that suggests thrombotic microangiopathy · Recognize a Howell-Jolly body as a nuclear remnant
  11. Inclusions, sickling screens, erythrocytosis and the ESR15 min · Choose an iron stain to confirm suspected Pappenheimer bodies · Report a positive Hb S solubility screen without calling trait or disease · Choose between a repeat count, EPO, and JAK2 V617F for a raised hemoglobin · Recognize how citrate ratio, anemia, tube tilt, and temperature change a Westergren ESR
  12. Reactive white-cell patterns and inherited anomalies15 min · Recognize reactive neutrophilia from a left shift and toxic changes · Recognize a heterogeneous reactive lymphocyte population · Distinguish an inherited leukocyte anomaly from a reactive or clonal change · Report a CBC and film as compatible with a disorder until confirming tests are done
  13. Chronic myeloid leukemia15 min · Recognize a broad myeloid maturation spectrum in a CML-compatible pattern · Identify the genetic finding that establishes CML · Assign a CML phase from blast and basophil percentages under WHO5 or ICC
  14. Blasts on the film and cytochemistry15 min · Recognize myeloblasts and Auer rods that call for an acute myeloid leukemia workup · Recognize lymphoblasts that call for an acute lymphoblastic leukemia workup · Match an MPO, Sudan black B, or esterase pattern to blast lineage
  15. Classifying acute leukemia15 min · Name the cytogenetic and molecular tests needed to classify a suspected AML · Name the immunophenotype and genetic tests needed to classify a suspected ALL · Assign a cell population's lineage from its full flow cytometry marker pattern
  16. Small mature lymphocytes, CLL and MBL14 min · Recognize a small mature lymphocytosis that needs flow cytometry for clonality · Name the flow cytometry result that separates CLL from monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis
  17. Choosing and reading molecular tests15 min · Choose FISH, karyotype, or a molecular test for the change being sought · Calculate an expected variant allele fraction from the abnormal-cell fraction
  18. Platelet counts and platelet function15 min · Check the film for platelet clumps before reporting a low platelet count · Classify a low platelet count as reduced production, consumption, or sequestration · Tell reactive from clonal thrombocytosis using the cause, film, and driver mutations · Tell Bernard-Soulier from Glanzmann by platelet size, count, and aggregation results
  19. Clot formation, fibrinolysis and the citrate tube15 min · Trace thrombin generation from tissue factor and factor VIIa to the platelet surface · Trace how plasmin forms, is inhibited, and breaks cross-linked fibrin into D-dimer · Reject a coagulation specimen with the wrong fill, hematocrit, handling, or timing
  20. PT, APTT and mixing studies15 min · Read a PT and APTT result pair to choose the next coagulation test · Interpret immediate and incubated mixing-study behavior · Match an isolated prolonged APTT to factor VIII, IX, XI, or contact-factor deficiency · Choose a one-stage or chromogenic factor assay and check its dilution linearity
  21. Inhibitors, lupus anticoagulant and thrombophilia timing15 min · Interpret a Nijmegen-Bethesda titer with the inhibitor type and its kinetics · Interpret lupus anticoagulant screen, mix, and confirm results from two test systems · Recognize when anticoagulants or acute illness make a thrombophilia result unreliable · Use thrombin and reptilase times to separate heparin from a fibrinogen defect
  22. Von Willebrand, HIT, DIC and anticoagulant assays15 min · Classify a von Willebrand panel from antigen, activity ratio, and factor VIII · Sequence HIT immunoassay and functional testing by pretest probability · Recognize the platelet, PT, D-dimer, and fibrinogen changes that suggest DIC · Choose the calibrated assay that measures a stated heparin or direct oral anticoagulant

What you'll be able to do

Separating anomaly from reactive and clonal findings

Classic and cell-based models

Hematology

  • Recall the ASCP MLS examination range for blood RBC count
  • Recall the ASCP MLS examination range for blood hemoglobin
  • Recall the ASCP MLS examination range for hematocrit
  • Recall the ASCP MLS examination range for MCV
  • Recall the ASCP MLS examination range for MCH
  • Recall the ASCP MLS examination range for MCHC
  • Recall the ASCP MLS examination range for blood platelet count
  • Recall the ASCP MLS examination range for total blood WBC count