28 July 2008
9:47:00 PM
hey guys, sorry for the late post. Apparently singnet hates me and refuses to allow me to connect to the internet. Just managed to get online after the man came to fix the modem this morning.
Anyway, i was posted to haematology. Right now, i'm in the routine haematology section. Been here for like only a week so i don't really have much to write cuz i've been smearing slides after slides after slides. Following the format given:
1. clinical presentation - basically, the patients that send their blood over have almost every single disease imaginable. From HIV to pneumonia, cancer to malaria. So for the symptoms, i guess you could expect a lot of stuff such as a weakened immuned system, sores on the private parts, bloody phlem, rashes, etc.
2. samples - the type of sample collected is EDTA blood (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid)
3. tests - the objective of doing a blood smear is to enable the screener (usually the more experienced med techs), to examine the slides microscopically to investigate haematological problems such as Thalassemia and to identify parasites such as malaria and filaria. This would support the doctor's diagnosis and facilitate management of the disease.
4. intepretation - If the screener sees a malaria parasite, the person has malaria. If the screener sees a filaria parasite, the person has filaria. For the other diseases, RBC abnormalities include
anemia, sickle cell anemia and spherocytosis (just to state the more common ones)
Anemia - Usually not done, because we have a machine to count the RBC. In the event that the machine is unable to do it, the screeners have to manually count them. As for the RBC reference range, Mr Poh made us memorize all of them already, but if you really want to see it in this blog, just post a comment.
Sickle cell anemia - RBC appear to have a rigid, sickle shape
Spherocytosis - RBC appear sphere shaped instead of bi concave
5. confirmatory test - For blood screening, there is usually no confirmatory test. Like malaria, you either have it (presence of malaria parasite) or you don't. There's no such thing as the person contracting malaria yet not having malaria parasites in his blood. As for anemia, we usually test the retic count, calculate the MCV, HCT and various other components to determine it (macrocytic, normocytic, microcytic for example). By the way, you guys can read our haematology notes again if you guys forgot.
6. final diagnosis - I think i've covered this part.
ANYWAY, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, DO FEEL
FREE TO ASK. BUT TRY TO READ YOUR HAEMATOLOGY LECTURE NOTES BEFORE ASKING OK? CUZ EVERYTHING'S INSIDE=)
OH, AND I'LL UPDATE WITH ANOTHER POST AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WHEN I PROPERLY SCRUTINIZE THE MACHINES AROUND THE ROUTINE LAB.
Cornelyus
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