4 December 2018 (Tuesday) - Blood Film NEQAS


The results of the latest NEQAS morphology became available to me today. I looked at the films a month ago and can’t really remember much about them but:

1807 BF1

I said “Film is poorly stained, but: Macrocytosis with target cells and Howell-Jolly bodies and nucleated red cells. Also a mild lymphocytosis. Some look odd, but is that the staining? Some neutrophils are right shifted, but not many. Also platelet count is OK.
*Possibly* megaloblastic, but more likely liver disease or haemoglobinopathy - clinical details would have helped.. 

It *was* a haemoglobinopathy…

1807 BF2

I said “Again film is poorly stained, but: Fragmented, echinocytic and spherocytic red cells with some Howell-Jolly bodies seen and some nucleated red cells. Reduced platelet count. 
?MAHA and/or DIC

It was a case of TTP – I’ll take that.

Again I don’t think these exercises are a fair assessment. We are provided with minimal information and expected to come up with a comprehensive diagnosis.

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