ASCP MLS UPDATED EXAM COMPREHENSIVE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔A sodium citrate tube was drawn for a HCT on a pt but the hematocrit was abnormal
- ✔✔recollect with decreased anticoagulant. high hct (>55%) causes low plasma so you
need less anticoagulant
✔✔Question that gives a red blood cells count, HGB, and HCT. I did the rule of 3 and
found that the HGB didn't meet the rule of 3 because it was too high - ✔✔check for
lipemia (elevates HGB)
✔✔PBS with an elevated reticulocyte count and howell jolly bodies in the RBC's - ✔✔-
Answer: howell jolly bodies= DNA= Wright Stain
-Peppenheimer- Prussian blue stain
-which is not taken up by reticulocytes
-helpful in differentiating the two.
-Reticulocytes=Supravital/ new methylene blue stain
✔✔what is composed of DNA? - ✔✔howell jolly bodies
-wright Stain
✔✔what falsely increases ESR - ✔✔vibration, tilting of tube, higher temps, >1 hr test
time, improper mixing of blood, improper dilution
, ✔✔factors decreasing ESR - ✔✔Polycythemia, Microcytosis (Hb C), Sickle cells,
spherocytes, Anti-inflammatory medications, Hypogammaglobulinemia,
Hypofibrinogenemia (DIC), High WBC count, Hyperviscosity
✔✔Factors increasing ESR - ✔✔Anemia, Macrocytosis, Female gender, Age >50 years,
Obesity, Pregnancy, Hypercholesterolemia, cancer, multiple myeloma, rouleaux,
infections, inflammation
✔✔what falsely decreases ESR - ✔✔low blood/ room temps, air bubbles, tests <1 hr,
improper mixing of blood, improper dilution
✔✔lactic acid collection - ✔✔separate from serum and put on ice
✔✔coefficient of variation - ✔✔(standard deviation/ mean) X 100
✔✔Carbon dioxide electrode measures what - ✔✔Used to measure free carbon dioxide
ions by detecting pH. The change in pH is measured by an internal pH sensor, which is
proportional to the carbon dioxide level.
✔✔patient that had a random glucose >200 and an FPG >126. What do you do next? -
✔✔diagnosis with diabetes mellitus.
(need secondary confirmation from 4 criteria. FRG >126, Random glucose >200, ogtt
>200, or Hb A1c >6.5)
✔✔Man tested positive for syphilis 2 years ago but may have again, how would you test
him? - ✔✔RPR
✔✔Person tested positive for HIV-1 and HIV-2 but western blot was indeterminate.
What do you do? - ✔✔repeat western blot in a month.
✔✔There was a positive DAT on cord blood; mother is Rh pos, baby is Rh neg. What is
most likely coating the baby's red cells? - ✔✔K (kell)
✔✔Picture of what looks like cold agglutinins - ✔✔Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria?
(Aggregation of the RBCs can occur, but this is considered mild compared with cold
hemagglutinin disease. )
Mycoplasma infections more likely?
✔✔What phase can rouleux not be detected in? - ✔✔AHG
✔✔Picture of ABO type with mixed field reaction in the forward type - ✔✔patient was
transfused with O blood
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔A sodium citrate tube was drawn for a HCT on a pt but the hematocrit was abnormal
- ✔✔recollect with decreased anticoagulant. high hct (>55%) causes low plasma so you
need less anticoagulant
✔✔Question that gives a red blood cells count, HGB, and HCT. I did the rule of 3 and
found that the HGB didn't meet the rule of 3 because it was too high - ✔✔check for
lipemia (elevates HGB)
✔✔PBS with an elevated reticulocyte count and howell jolly bodies in the RBC's - ✔✔-
Answer: howell jolly bodies= DNA= Wright Stain
-Peppenheimer- Prussian blue stain
-which is not taken up by reticulocytes
-helpful in differentiating the two.
-Reticulocytes=Supravital/ new methylene blue stain
✔✔what is composed of DNA? - ✔✔howell jolly bodies
-wright Stain
✔✔what falsely increases ESR - ✔✔vibration, tilting of tube, higher temps, >1 hr test
time, improper mixing of blood, improper dilution
, ✔✔factors decreasing ESR - ✔✔Polycythemia, Microcytosis (Hb C), Sickle cells,
spherocytes, Anti-inflammatory medications, Hypogammaglobulinemia,
Hypofibrinogenemia (DIC), High WBC count, Hyperviscosity
✔✔Factors increasing ESR - ✔✔Anemia, Macrocytosis, Female gender, Age >50 years,
Obesity, Pregnancy, Hypercholesterolemia, cancer, multiple myeloma, rouleaux,
infections, inflammation
✔✔what falsely decreases ESR - ✔✔low blood/ room temps, air bubbles, tests <1 hr,
improper mixing of blood, improper dilution
✔✔lactic acid collection - ✔✔separate from serum and put on ice
✔✔coefficient of variation - ✔✔(standard deviation/ mean) X 100
✔✔Carbon dioxide electrode measures what - ✔✔Used to measure free carbon dioxide
ions by detecting pH. The change in pH is measured by an internal pH sensor, which is
proportional to the carbon dioxide level.
✔✔patient that had a random glucose >200 and an FPG >126. What do you do next? -
✔✔diagnosis with diabetes mellitus.
(need secondary confirmation from 4 criteria. FRG >126, Random glucose >200, ogtt
>200, or Hb A1c >6.5)
✔✔Man tested positive for syphilis 2 years ago but may have again, how would you test
him? - ✔✔RPR
✔✔Person tested positive for HIV-1 and HIV-2 but western blot was indeterminate.
What do you do? - ✔✔repeat western blot in a month.
✔✔There was a positive DAT on cord blood; mother is Rh pos, baby is Rh neg. What is
most likely coating the baby's red cells? - ✔✔K (kell)
✔✔Picture of what looks like cold agglutinins - ✔✔Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria?
(Aggregation of the RBCs can occur, but this is considered mild compared with cold
hemagglutinin disease. )
Mycoplasma infections more likely?
✔✔What phase can rouleux not be detected in? - ✔✔AHG
✔✔Picture of ABO type with mixed field reaction in the forward type - ✔✔patient was
transfused with O blood
