What is a smear blood test?

03/29/2019 Off By admin

What is a smear blood test?

A blood smear is a snapshot of the cells that are present in the blood at the time the sample is obtained. The blood smear allows for the evaluation of these cells: White blood cells (WBCs, leukocytes) — help fight infections or participate in immune responses.

What are the three types of smear examination?

THREE TYPES OF SMEAR EXAMINATION

  • Blood Smear Scan (BSS), Synonyms: platelet scan, platelet estimate, blood smear examination without a DIFF.
  • Blood Smear Examination (BSE), Synonyms: manual DIFF, DIFF.
  • Blood Smear Review (BSR), Synonyms: blood smear interpretation, physician review of blood smear.

What is normal blood smear?

A blood smear is considered normal when your blood contains a sufficient number of cells and the cells have a normal appearance. A blood smear is considered abnormal when there’s an abnormality in the size, shape, color, or number of cells in your blood.

What does a peripheral smear show?

A blood smear, also referred to as a peripheral smear for morphology, is an important test for evaluating blood-related problems, such as those in red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets.

What kind of edge is needed for a smear?

feathered edge
Note – blood is being dragged behind the spreader slide, not in front of the slide. An optimal smear is ¾ the length of the slide and has a feathered edge. Leave the slide to air dry and make more smears if required.

What is a normal platelet count for a healthy person?

What is a healthy platelet count? A normal platelet count ranges from 150,000 to 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood. Having more than 450,000 platelets is a condition called thrombocytosis; having less than 150,000 is known as thrombocytopenia.

What are the characteristics of a good blood smear?

The blood smear must not be too thin or too thick and the tail of the smear must be smooth. The perfect quality smear is influ- enced by three factors: speed, angle and drop size. thinner the smear will be. The slower the slide is moved, the shorter and thicker the slide will be.

What diseases require a peripheral blood smear?

A blood smear can be used to help diagnose or check on many conditions, such as:

  • Anemia.
  • Jaundice.
  • Sickle cell disease.
  • Thrombocytopenia.
  • Malaria.
  • Sudden kidney failure.
  • G6PD deficiency.
  • Certain cancers.

Do doctors know how a person gets leukemia?

By looking at a sample of your blood, your doctor can determine if you have abnormal levels of red or white blood cells or platelets — which may suggest leukemia. A blood test may also show the presence of leukemia cells, though not all types of leukemia cause the leukemia cells to circulate in the blood.