Hemostasis
Giant Platelets: Morphology and Analyzer Errors
Learn about the morphology of giant platelets in blood smears and the causes of errors during impedance cell counting on hematology analyzers.
Tag
Laboratory Errors
Lab test interpretation
Hook Effect in Blood Biochemistry: Understanding & Avoiding
Learn about the hook effect in laboratory diagnostics, how it impacts biochemical test results, and strategies to avoid it for accurate interpretation.
Hematology
Bacteria and Fungi in Blood Smears: Sepsis or Artifact?
How to distinguish true bacteremia in sepsis from blood smear contamination and staining artifacts. Analysis of microscopic findings and fungal spores.
Laboratory methods
Preanalytics of a Flora Smear: Spermatozoa in the Sample
A clear example of gross violation of preparation rules for a flora smear test: spermatozoa found in a female sample. Preanalytical stage errors.
Hemostasis
Fonio Platelet Count in Severe Thrombocytosis
Comparing analyzer and Fonio method platelet counts in severe thrombocytosis. Manual recount features and reasons for result discrepancies.
Lab test interpretation
Critical Hypoglycemia & Errors in Biochemistry Reports
We discuss critical blood glucose levels, the consequences of severe hypoglycemia, and post-analytical errors in biochemical analysis reports.
Clinical cases
Rh Factor and Antibody Misidentification in Transfusion
A clinical case detailing severe consequences of Rh factor and anti-erythrocyte antibody misidentification before blood transfusion, and legal liability.
Lab test interpretation
Ferritin Test Limitations in Inflammation and Fever
Why you shouldn't test ferritin during fever and inflammation: the role of acute phase proteins, and changes in MCV and MCHC indices in anemia of chronic disease.
Hemostasis
Platelet Count in EDTA-Dependent Pseudothrombocytopenia
A clinical case review of analyzer vs. Fonio method discrepancies in platelet aggregation. Discusses causes of pseudothrombocytopenia and the citrate test.
Laboratory methods
Blood Smear Artifacts from Underfilled EDTA Tubes
How excess EDTA in small blood volumes distorts analyzer scattergrams and cell morphology: echinocytes, nuclear pyknosis, and endothelial aggregates.