Introduction to Hematology

You should know a little bit about how to approach a patient with a suspected hematologic disorder. These general tips will help you build a framework for the in-depth discussions of specific diseases we will cover later...and they will help you as you begin to take care of patients in your third and fourth years of medical school.

Clinical approach to patients with hematologic disorders.

History

•chemical exposures

•drug history

•diet

•blood loss

•fever

•family history of blood disorder

Physical examination

•skin (pale or jaundiced; petechiae or bruises?)

•sclerae (petechiae?)

•tongue (big?)

•nails (spoon-shaped?)

•lymph nodes (enlarged?)

•sternum, other bones (tender?)

•spleen, liver (enlarged?)

Laboratory approach to patients with hematologic disorders.

What are the components of the complete blood count (CBC)? In plain English, what does each measure? Which components are most useful,

and why?

How to look at a blood smear.

What are the three big things to look at when faced with a blood smear?

In each of these three parts, what characteristics should you evaluate?

Check your knowledge

When you finish studying

this introductory section,

you should be able to:

□   List some of the signs

    and symptoms of

    hematologic disorders.

□   List the components of

    the CBC, and describe

    how each is used.

□   Look at a blood smear in

    a systematic way.

Introduction

Anemia

Benign Leukocytoses

Malignant Hematopathology

Acute Leukemia

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Lymphoma

Myeloma