Hematology

The word hematology is also derived from Greek word ‘haima’ meaning blood and ‘logos’ meaning study. The branch of science that finds its own application in the field of internal medicine, pathology, physiology, clinical lab and pediatrics which concerns about the study of blood, blood related disease and blood forming organs. The medical technologists are an individual who carry out study of blood. The individual who practice hematology is referred as hematologists. Hematologist also concerns more about the etiology, prognosis, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of blood diseases and blood related disorders. Hematologist’s physicians perform frequent studies of cancer in the field of oncology. The disorder in blood shall affect the blood producing components such as blood proteins, blood cells, hemoglobin, coagulation mechanism and etc. The objective of hematologists is to provide care and diagnosis of individual with hematological disorders even though they perform hematology lab work for examination of bone marrow and blood film slides under an electron microscope or light microscope, thereby they interpret the examination results too. Some of the hematologists maintain their own hematology labs. The hematologists or pathologists who are specialized in diagnosis of blood related disease is referred as hematopathologists. The hematopathologists and hematologists shall work together in order to deliver the best treatment. Hematology is a separate sub discipline of internal medicine where it works in conjunction by overlapping the other major discipline called oncology.

Hematological tests

The hematologists are responsible for following tests.

• Treatment of hemophilia
• Treatment of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
• Treatment of hemoglobinopathies
• In blood transfusion labs
• In blood banks
• Bone marrow transplantation
• Stem cell transplantation

Treatment of hematological disorders

Hematologists provide following treatment methods.

• Oral medication
• Dietary control
• Anticoagulation therapy
• Bone marrow transplantation
• Radiotherapy
• Blood transfusion
• Intramuscular injections

Questions:

• What is hematology?
• How to treat hematological disorders?
• What roles do hematologists play?