Custom Search

Our Products · On-Line Store

Peripheral Smear

A microscopic examination of a stained, peripheral blood smear may be useful in evaluating blood disorders.

Anisocytosis

  • These are abnormal in size

Basophilic Stippling

  • Usually seen in reticulocytes, an immature form of RBC, released in response to strong stimulus, and seen in:
    • Anemia
    • Leukemia
  • Is nearly universally seen in cases of clinically significant lead poisoning.

Hypochromic

  • The normally pale center of the RBC is even more pale, suggesting reduced concentrations of hemoglobin within the cell.

Malarial Stippling

  • Very fine granular appearance to the RBCs, representing malarial parasites.
  • Also known as:
    • Schueffner's dots
    • Parasitized RBCs

Normochromic

  • Normal amounts of staining for hemoglobin, suggesting normal concentrations of hemoglobin within the cell.

Nucleated RBCs

  • In an adult, RBCs are not normally nucleated. 
  • The presence of NRBCs indicates the body is aggressively producing red cells and releasing them into the circulation prior to full maturity. 
  • This is commonly seen in cases of significant anemia.

Poikilocytosis

  • These are abnormal in shape.
  • This due to improper formation of the cell membrane.
  • This typically occurs in cases of severe anemia when the RBC manufacturing system goes into overdrive, greatly increasing the number of RBCs produced, but with lesser degrees of quality control.

Polychromasia

  • Variations in staining of the RBC suggesting a more rapid production than is usually seen. 
  • Commonly seen in anemias of all types, but particularly hemolytic anemias and anemias following acute blood loss.

Reticulocytes

  • An immature form of RBC, it released in response to strong stimulus, and seen in:
    • Anemia
    • Leukemia

Shistocytes

  • Bizarre-shaped RBCs, resembling triangles or spirals.
  • Associated with:
    • Severe burns
    • DIC
    • Artificial heart valves
    • Vascular spasm

Sickle Cells

  • Crescent-shaped RBCs, associated with abnormal hemoglobin formation (Hemoglobin S, SS, SC, SD or Sickle-Thallasemia.)
  • Associated with hemolytic anemia.

Spherocytes

  • Smaller and rounder than normal RBCs
  • Associated with:
    • Hereditary disease
    • Post-transfusion changes
    • Water dilution

Target Cells

  • Smaller than normal RBCs, with a central concentration of hemoglobin, giving it the appearance of a target.
  • Associated with:
    • Liver disease
    • Iron deficiency anemia
    • Thallesemia

 

Normal Values of the Peripheral Smear*

Size Normocytic (7-8 µm)
Color Normochromic
Shape Normocyte 
Structure No nucleated cells

*These are general values taken from a variety of sources. The actual normal values may vary from lab to lab and from one type of testing protocol to another.


Development of Blood Cells


 

 

Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited.
The listing of any non-Federal product in this CD is not an endorsement of the product itself, but simply an acknowledgement of the source. 

Bureau of Medicine and Surgery
Department of the Navy
2300 E Street NW
Washington, D.C
20372-5300

Operational Medicine
 Health Care in Military Settings
CAPT Michael John Hughey, MC, USNR
NAVMED P-5139
  January 1, 2001

United States Special Operations Command
7701 Tampa Point Blvd.
MacDill AFB, Florida
33621-5323

*This web version is provided by The Brookside Associates Medical Education Division.  It contains original contents from the official US Navy NAVMED P-5139, but has been reformatted for web access and includes advertising and links that were not present in the original version. This web version has not been approved by the Department of the Navy or the Department of Defense. The presence of any advertising on these pages does not constitute an endorsement of that product or service by either the US Department of Defense or the Brookside Associates. The Brookside Associates is a private organization, not affiliated with the United States Department of Defense.

Contact Us  ·  ·  Other Brookside Products

Operational Medicine 2001
Contents

 

 

 

 

Advertise on this site