REVIEW OF PERIPHERAL BLOOD SMEAR IS COMMONLY USED TO IDENTIFY ABNORMALITIES. THIS IS SPECIALLY INDICATED IN ANEMIAS THAT DO NOT RESPOND TO THERAPY, ANEMIAS WITHOUT APPARENT CAUSE OR IF HEMOLYSIS, BONE MARROW FIBROSIS OR TUMOR INVASION IS SUSPECTED. IDENTIFICATION OF FRAGMENTED RBC, SPHEROCYTES, SICKLE CELLS, INTRACELLULAR INCLUSIONS OR PARASITES CAN ONLY BE MADE BY EXAMINING THE PERIPHERAL SMEAR.

A COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT (CBC) IS A COMPREHENSIVE BLOOD TEST THAT PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT THE CELLS IN YOUR BLOOD. IT MEASURES THE NUMBER OF RED BLOOD CELLS, WHITE BLOOD CELLS, AND PLATELETS, AS WELL AS HEMOGLOBIN (THE PROTEIN THAT CARRIES OXYGEN) AND HEMATOCRIT (THE PERCENTAGE OF RED BLOOD CELLS IN YOUR BLOOD). A CBC IS USED TO DIAGNOSE AND MONITOR A WIDE RANGE OF CONDITIONS, INCLUDING ANEMIA, INFECTIONS, BLEEDING DISORDERS, AND BLOOD CANCERS.