ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
What type of WBCs are usually the most predominant in a WBC differential? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Segs/Polys: 50-62% [neutrophils]
What are Segs/Polys and Bands/Stabs? - CORRECT ANSWER - Segs/Polys = Neutrophils
Bands/Stabs = immature neutrophils
What is leukocytosis? - CORRECT ANSWER - Increased WBC
What is leukopenia? What does this increase the risk for? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Decreased WBC; infection
What is agranulocytosis? - CORRECT ANSWER - Lacking/decrease granulocytes
What is eosinophilia? - CORRECT ANSWER - Increased eosinophils
What is thrombocytopenia? What does this increase the risk for? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Decreased platelets; increased risk for bleeding
What is a reticulocyte? What does a high reticulocyte count indicate? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Immature RBCs, indicates bone marrow's production of RBCs [could indicate
hemolytic anemia]
What does an elevated Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate [ESR] indicate? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Inflammation
, What is meant by the morphology terms for RBC size? Normocytic, macrocytic, microcytic/and
RBC color Normochromic, hypochromic, hyperchromic - CORRECT ANSWER -
Normocytic: RBC shape is appropriate
Macrocytic: cells are enlarged
Microcytic: cells are abnormally small
Normochromic: cell color is appropriate
Hypochromic: cell is decreased in pigment
Hyperchromic: cell is increased in pigment
What is the purpose of the blood morphology tests (MCV, MCH, MCHC)? - CORRECT
ANSWER - MCV= size
MCH= color
MCHC= color
What are the 2 main megaloblastic anemias? - CORRECT ANSWER - Pernicious (B12
deficiency) and Folate deficiency anemia
What is the most common microcytic hypochromic anemia? - CORRECT ANSWER - Iron
deficiency anemia
What are the classic signs of anemia? - CORRECT ANSWER - Pallor, fatigue, dizziness,
dyspnea on exertion [DOE]
What are the compensatory mechanisms that may occur to increase oxygenation of the tissues? -
CORRECT ANSWER - Tachycardia, vasoconstriction, heart failure, tachypnea, increased
breathing depth, increased plasma volume [interstitial fluid moves into blood vessels]; Na+ and
H2O retention [from activation of RAAS]
What causes megaloblasts to form and why do they cause problems? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Defective DNA synthesis leading to impaired erythropoiesis causing
unusually large stem cells in the bone marrow [called megaloblasts] because they are unusually
large and fragile RBCs that may die prematurely leading to increased bilirubin levels