UAMS Hematology Exam #2 UPDATED
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Bone marrow and blood smears. - CORRECT ANSWER - What does Wrights stain
evaluate?
Reticulocytes. It determines if the bone marrow is compensating for anemia. Supravital stain. -
CORRECT ANSWER - What does the new methylene blue stain evaluate? What is
another name for this stain?
Iron stored within cells in the bone marrow. - CORRECT ANSWER - What does the
Prussian blue stain evaluate?
Red blood cell. - CORRECT ANSWER - Which cell has a biconcave disc shape with a
central pallor of about 1/3 of the cell? This cell is salmon pink in color and is generally
considered normocytic or normochromic.
About 7 microns - CORRECT ANSWER - Which size of cell is considered normocytic or
normochromic?
Sickle cells, schistocytes, intracellular parasites (malaria), and spherocytes. - CORRECT
ANSWER - What 4 cell types are clinically significant, even in low numbers?
No - CORRECT ANSWER - Should abnormal morphology be reported if there were only
1 or 2 cells observed?
slight, moderate, marked, and many. - CORRECT ANSWER - What are the 4 terms used
to report morphology?
,Anisocytosis. Poikilocytosis. Yes. - CORRECT ANSWER - What is the term used to
describe a variation in size? Term used to describe variation in shape? Can you have one without
the other?
Mean cell volume. Cells can be macrocytic, normocytic, or microcytic. - CORRECT
ANSWER - What is MCV and what are the 3 stages that can be indicated by it?
Mean cell hemoglobin. Average weight of hemoglobin in a red blood cell. - CORRECT
ANSWER - What is MCH?
Mean cell hemoglobin content. Average concentration of hemoglobin in each red blood cell.
Hypochromic - less hemo, normochromic, and hyperchromic - cells don't have more hemo just
have a different appearance with a changing cell wall. - CORRECT ANSWER - What is
MCHC and what 3 stages can be indicated?
Polychromasia. Reticulocytes when stained with new methylene blue. - CORRECT
ANSWER - What is the term for pale gray RBCs? When is this observed?
6-8 um. Measured with a micrometer or by MCV. fL - femtoliter. - CORRECT
ANSWER - What size are most normal reticulocytes and RBCs? How can they be
measured? What is the unit?
80-100 fL. Equivalent to size of lymphocyte nucleus. The amount of cytoplasm. - CORRECT
ANSWER - What is a normal MCV? What is this equivalent to? What actually causes a
cell to become bigger?
Macrocyte. Over 100 fL. Caused by impaired DNA synthesis in the nucleus and a decreased
number of cellular divisions in immature RBCs. Oval macrocytes are produced. - CORRECT
ANSWER - What is the term for an RBC with increased size? What is the size in fL?
What occurs with these cells? What is produced?
, They are seen with increased cell turnover, when greater than 1% of RBCs are being destroyed
daily. This causes polychromasia and is an indicator that a patient is compensating for anemia. -
CORRECT ANSWER - When are macrocytes typically observed and what do they cause?
Macrocytes cause changes in membrane lipids causing cells to spread out. Seen in liver disease. -
CORRECT ANSWER - What disease are macrocytes usually an indictor of?
Microcytes, smaller than 80 fL. Caused by impaired hemoglobin synthesis which causes
increased cell divisions and a decrease in cell size. Examples include iron deficiency anemia,
thalassemia, and lead poisoning. - CORRECT ANSWER - Term for smaller RBCs? Size
in fL? What are these caused by? Examples?
Ovalocytes or elliptocytes. Spectrin. It affects the horizontal linkage of the cell cytoplasm.
Hereditary ovalocytosis, sickle cell anemia, iron deficiency anemia, RBC enzyme deficiencies,
pernicious anemia, or miscellanous anemia. - CORRECT ANSWER - What type of cell
are rod or oval shaped that increases as the cell matures, is hereditary or caused by acquired
conditions? What protein in the RBC membrane is defected and what does it cause to induce this
shape? What conditions will this cell typically be observed in?
Sickle cell or drepanocytes. Decreased solubility. This shape is produced when oxygen tension in
the blood is decreased. - CORRECT ANSWER - What type of cell is caused by abnormal
hemoglobin S that produces tactoids? What does abnormal hemoglobin S cause? Why is this
shape produced?
They can increase if blood oxygen tension increases. Need to be reported immediately to start
treatment to prevent sickle numbers rising. - CORRECT ANSWER - Why are sickle cells
significant even in small numbers?
Acanthocytes or spurs. Caused by increased cholesterol that alter membrane lipid content.
Observed in liver disease, congenital abetalipoproteinemia, alcoholic liver disease, and post
splenectomy. Yes. - CORRECT ANSWER - What cells are small, spherical, and have
pointed irregular spaced projections radiating from the cell tips? These cells have no central
pallor. What are these caused by? What conditions are these typically observed in? Do these cells
have a normal life span?
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Bone marrow and blood smears. - CORRECT ANSWER - What does Wrights stain
evaluate?
Reticulocytes. It determines if the bone marrow is compensating for anemia. Supravital stain. -
CORRECT ANSWER - What does the new methylene blue stain evaluate? What is
another name for this stain?
Iron stored within cells in the bone marrow. - CORRECT ANSWER - What does the
Prussian blue stain evaluate?
Red blood cell. - CORRECT ANSWER - Which cell has a biconcave disc shape with a
central pallor of about 1/3 of the cell? This cell is salmon pink in color and is generally
considered normocytic or normochromic.
About 7 microns - CORRECT ANSWER - Which size of cell is considered normocytic or
normochromic?
Sickle cells, schistocytes, intracellular parasites (malaria), and spherocytes. - CORRECT
ANSWER - What 4 cell types are clinically significant, even in low numbers?
No - CORRECT ANSWER - Should abnormal morphology be reported if there were only
1 or 2 cells observed?
slight, moderate, marked, and many. - CORRECT ANSWER - What are the 4 terms used
to report morphology?
,Anisocytosis. Poikilocytosis. Yes. - CORRECT ANSWER - What is the term used to
describe a variation in size? Term used to describe variation in shape? Can you have one without
the other?
Mean cell volume. Cells can be macrocytic, normocytic, or microcytic. - CORRECT
ANSWER - What is MCV and what are the 3 stages that can be indicated by it?
Mean cell hemoglobin. Average weight of hemoglobin in a red blood cell. - CORRECT
ANSWER - What is MCH?
Mean cell hemoglobin content. Average concentration of hemoglobin in each red blood cell.
Hypochromic - less hemo, normochromic, and hyperchromic - cells don't have more hemo just
have a different appearance with a changing cell wall. - CORRECT ANSWER - What is
MCHC and what 3 stages can be indicated?
Polychromasia. Reticulocytes when stained with new methylene blue. - CORRECT
ANSWER - What is the term for pale gray RBCs? When is this observed?
6-8 um. Measured with a micrometer or by MCV. fL - femtoliter. - CORRECT
ANSWER - What size are most normal reticulocytes and RBCs? How can they be
measured? What is the unit?
80-100 fL. Equivalent to size of lymphocyte nucleus. The amount of cytoplasm. - CORRECT
ANSWER - What is a normal MCV? What is this equivalent to? What actually causes a
cell to become bigger?
Macrocyte. Over 100 fL. Caused by impaired DNA synthesis in the nucleus and a decreased
number of cellular divisions in immature RBCs. Oval macrocytes are produced. - CORRECT
ANSWER - What is the term for an RBC with increased size? What is the size in fL?
What occurs with these cells? What is produced?
, They are seen with increased cell turnover, when greater than 1% of RBCs are being destroyed
daily. This causes polychromasia and is an indicator that a patient is compensating for anemia. -
CORRECT ANSWER - When are macrocytes typically observed and what do they cause?
Macrocytes cause changes in membrane lipids causing cells to spread out. Seen in liver disease. -
CORRECT ANSWER - What disease are macrocytes usually an indictor of?
Microcytes, smaller than 80 fL. Caused by impaired hemoglobin synthesis which causes
increased cell divisions and a decrease in cell size. Examples include iron deficiency anemia,
thalassemia, and lead poisoning. - CORRECT ANSWER - Term for smaller RBCs? Size
in fL? What are these caused by? Examples?
Ovalocytes or elliptocytes. Spectrin. It affects the horizontal linkage of the cell cytoplasm.
Hereditary ovalocytosis, sickle cell anemia, iron deficiency anemia, RBC enzyme deficiencies,
pernicious anemia, or miscellanous anemia. - CORRECT ANSWER - What type of cell
are rod or oval shaped that increases as the cell matures, is hereditary or caused by acquired
conditions? What protein in the RBC membrane is defected and what does it cause to induce this
shape? What conditions will this cell typically be observed in?
Sickle cell or drepanocytes. Decreased solubility. This shape is produced when oxygen tension in
the blood is decreased. - CORRECT ANSWER - What type of cell is caused by abnormal
hemoglobin S that produces tactoids? What does abnormal hemoglobin S cause? Why is this
shape produced?
They can increase if blood oxygen tension increases. Need to be reported immediately to start
treatment to prevent sickle numbers rising. - CORRECT ANSWER - Why are sickle cells
significant even in small numbers?
Acanthocytes or spurs. Caused by increased cholesterol that alter membrane lipid content.
Observed in liver disease, congenital abetalipoproteinemia, alcoholic liver disease, and post
splenectomy. Yes. - CORRECT ANSWER - What cells are small, spherical, and have
pointed irregular spaced projections radiating from the cell tips? These cells have no central
pallor. What are these caused by? What conditions are these typically observed in? Do these cells
have a normal life span?
