ASCP HEMATOLOGY PRACTICE EXAM TIPS QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔What are sources of error seen in using the microhematocrit method to measure the
hematocrit? - ✔✔failure to seal tube adequately, incorrect reading due to uneven clay
plug, inappropriate centrifuge specs, excess EDTA resulting in RBC shrinkage
✔✔How is the hematocrit measured using automated methods? - ✔✔calculated from
MCV and RBC
✔✔What are sources of error seen in using the automated method to measure the
hematocrit? - ✔✔cold agglutinins, high WBC cound
✔✔What is the normal reference range for hematocrit of males? - ✔✔42-52%
✔✔What is the normal reference range for hematocrit of females? - ✔✔37-47%
✔✔What is the calculation used for manual cell counts? - ✔✔# of cells counted X 1/total
volume X dilution factor
✔✔What is the reference range for a WBC? - ✔✔5000-10000 ul
✔✔What is the reference range for platelets? - ✔✔150 - 400 X 10^3
✔✔What is the reference range for MCV? - ✔✔80-100 fl
✔✔What is the reference range for MCH? - ✔✔28-32 pg
✔✔What is the reference range for MCHC? - ✔✔32-36% g/dl
✔✔What is the reference range for RDW? - ✔✔11.5-14.5%
✔✔The function of what cell is to transport O2 to tissues and remove CO2 from tissues?
- ✔✔RBC
✔✔The function of what cell is a phagocytic response to bacteria? - ✔✔neutrophil
✔✔The function of what cell is in humoral and cell mediated immunity? - ✔✔lymphocyte
✔✔The function of what cell is an inflammatory response mediator? - ✔✔basophil
✔✔The function of what cell is an allergic response regulator? - ✔✔eosinophil
,✔✔The function of what cell is in clotting? - ✔✔platelet
✔✔What are the dyes used in a Wright stain? - ✔✔eosin, methylene blue
✔✔What is the pH of the phosphate buffer used in a Wright stain? - ✔✔6.4
✔✔What can cause a Wright stained slide to appear more blue? - ✔✔prolonged
staining, pH too basic
✔✔What can cause a Wright stained slide to appear more red? - ✔✔prolonged
washing, pH too acidic
✔✔Neutrophil counts are increased in what conditions? - ✔✔bacterial infections
✔✔Lymphocyte counts are increased in what conditions? - ✔✔viral infections
✔✔Monocyte counts are increased in what conditions? - ✔✔TB, syphilis, malignancies
✔✔Eosinophil counts are increased in what conditions? - ✔✔allergies, parasites
✔✔Basophil counts are increased in what conditions? - ✔✔immediate hypersensitivies
✔✔Hyper-segmented neutrophils are associated with what condition(s)? - ✔✔pernicious
anemia
✔✔Hypo-segmented neutrophils are associated with what condition(s)? - ✔✔pelger
huet, pseudo-pelger huet, AML, AIDS
✔✔Toxic granulation and vacuoles are associated with what condition(s) - ✔✔bacterial
infections, burns, chemotherapy
✔✔Dohle bodies are associated with what condition(s)? - ✔✔bacterial infections, burns,
May-Hegglin
✔✔Variant lymphs (increased size and basophilia) are associated with what
condition(s)? - ✔✔infectious mono, other viral infections
✔✔Large to giant platelets are associated with what conditions? - ✔✔Bernard-Soulier,
May-Hegglin, myeloproliferative disorders, stress platelets
✔✔If platelet count seems low what would be the corrective action? - ✔✔check feather
edge for clumping and satelitism. (Is an EDTA related phenomenon) If seen redraw in
Na citrate
, ✔✔What type of cells are expected to be seen with a low MCHC? (<32) -
✔✔hypochromic
✔✔What type of cells are expected to be seen with a high MCHC (<32) -
✔✔hyperchromic
✔✔Acanthocytes are commonly seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔severe liver disease,
abetalipoproteinemia
✔✔Another word for sickle cells is? - ✔✔drepanocyte
✔✔Echinocytes are commonly seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔uremia (can also be an
artifact)
✔✔Spherocytes are commonly seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔hereditary
spherocytosis, increased MCHC, ABO HDN, other hemolytic processes
✔✔Elliptocytes are commonly seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔hereditary elliptocytosis,
iron deficiency, thalassemia
✔✔Stomatocytes are commonly seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔hereditary
stomatocytosis, liver disease
✔✔Macroovalocytes are commonly seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔megaloblastic
anemia
✔✔Target cells are commonly seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔liver disease, Hb C,
thalassemia, other hemoglobinopathies
✔✔Helmet cells are seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔hemolytic processes
✔✔Another name for helmet cells is? - ✔✔keratocyte
✔✔Teardrop drop cells are seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔extramedullary
hematopoiesis, thalassemias, pernicious anemia
✔✔Schistocytes are seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔DIC, hemolytic processes
✔✔Howell-Jolly bodies are composed of? - ✔✔DNA
✔✔What condition(s) are howell-jolly bodies seen in? - ✔✔disturbed erythropoiesis,
hemolytic anemias, megaloblastic anemia, post-splenectomy
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔What are sources of error seen in using the microhematocrit method to measure the
hematocrit? - ✔✔failure to seal tube adequately, incorrect reading due to uneven clay
plug, inappropriate centrifuge specs, excess EDTA resulting in RBC shrinkage
✔✔How is the hematocrit measured using automated methods? - ✔✔calculated from
MCV and RBC
✔✔What are sources of error seen in using the automated method to measure the
hematocrit? - ✔✔cold agglutinins, high WBC cound
✔✔What is the normal reference range for hematocrit of males? - ✔✔42-52%
✔✔What is the normal reference range for hematocrit of females? - ✔✔37-47%
✔✔What is the calculation used for manual cell counts? - ✔✔# of cells counted X 1/total
volume X dilution factor
✔✔What is the reference range for a WBC? - ✔✔5000-10000 ul
✔✔What is the reference range for platelets? - ✔✔150 - 400 X 10^3
✔✔What is the reference range for MCV? - ✔✔80-100 fl
✔✔What is the reference range for MCH? - ✔✔28-32 pg
✔✔What is the reference range for MCHC? - ✔✔32-36% g/dl
✔✔What is the reference range for RDW? - ✔✔11.5-14.5%
✔✔The function of what cell is to transport O2 to tissues and remove CO2 from tissues?
- ✔✔RBC
✔✔The function of what cell is a phagocytic response to bacteria? - ✔✔neutrophil
✔✔The function of what cell is in humoral and cell mediated immunity? - ✔✔lymphocyte
✔✔The function of what cell is an inflammatory response mediator? - ✔✔basophil
✔✔The function of what cell is an allergic response regulator? - ✔✔eosinophil
,✔✔The function of what cell is in clotting? - ✔✔platelet
✔✔What are the dyes used in a Wright stain? - ✔✔eosin, methylene blue
✔✔What is the pH of the phosphate buffer used in a Wright stain? - ✔✔6.4
✔✔What can cause a Wright stained slide to appear more blue? - ✔✔prolonged
staining, pH too basic
✔✔What can cause a Wright stained slide to appear more red? - ✔✔prolonged
washing, pH too acidic
✔✔Neutrophil counts are increased in what conditions? - ✔✔bacterial infections
✔✔Lymphocyte counts are increased in what conditions? - ✔✔viral infections
✔✔Monocyte counts are increased in what conditions? - ✔✔TB, syphilis, malignancies
✔✔Eosinophil counts are increased in what conditions? - ✔✔allergies, parasites
✔✔Basophil counts are increased in what conditions? - ✔✔immediate hypersensitivies
✔✔Hyper-segmented neutrophils are associated with what condition(s)? - ✔✔pernicious
anemia
✔✔Hypo-segmented neutrophils are associated with what condition(s)? - ✔✔pelger
huet, pseudo-pelger huet, AML, AIDS
✔✔Toxic granulation and vacuoles are associated with what condition(s) - ✔✔bacterial
infections, burns, chemotherapy
✔✔Dohle bodies are associated with what condition(s)? - ✔✔bacterial infections, burns,
May-Hegglin
✔✔Variant lymphs (increased size and basophilia) are associated with what
condition(s)? - ✔✔infectious mono, other viral infections
✔✔Large to giant platelets are associated with what conditions? - ✔✔Bernard-Soulier,
May-Hegglin, myeloproliferative disorders, stress platelets
✔✔If platelet count seems low what would be the corrective action? - ✔✔check feather
edge for clumping and satelitism. (Is an EDTA related phenomenon) If seen redraw in
Na citrate
, ✔✔What type of cells are expected to be seen with a low MCHC? (<32) -
✔✔hypochromic
✔✔What type of cells are expected to be seen with a high MCHC (<32) -
✔✔hyperchromic
✔✔Acanthocytes are commonly seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔severe liver disease,
abetalipoproteinemia
✔✔Another word for sickle cells is? - ✔✔drepanocyte
✔✔Echinocytes are commonly seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔uremia (can also be an
artifact)
✔✔Spherocytes are commonly seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔hereditary
spherocytosis, increased MCHC, ABO HDN, other hemolytic processes
✔✔Elliptocytes are commonly seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔hereditary elliptocytosis,
iron deficiency, thalassemia
✔✔Stomatocytes are commonly seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔hereditary
stomatocytosis, liver disease
✔✔Macroovalocytes are commonly seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔megaloblastic
anemia
✔✔Target cells are commonly seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔liver disease, Hb C,
thalassemia, other hemoglobinopathies
✔✔Helmet cells are seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔hemolytic processes
✔✔Another name for helmet cells is? - ✔✔keratocyte
✔✔Teardrop drop cells are seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔extramedullary
hematopoiesis, thalassemias, pernicious anemia
✔✔Schistocytes are seen in what condition(s)? - ✔✔DIC, hemolytic processes
✔✔Howell-Jolly bodies are composed of? - ✔✔DNA
✔✔What condition(s) are howell-jolly bodies seen in? - ✔✔disturbed erythropoiesis,
hemolytic anemias, megaloblastic anemia, post-splenectomy
