HEMATOLOGY

Introduction

Hematology is a branch of internal medical science, pathology, clinical or chemical laboratory, physiology and pediatric that studies blood and its components in detail. This branch of science includes the study of blood disease, etiology, screening, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of infectious disease. Hematology is practiced by a medical science profession and is referred as hematologists. At times, they also concern about oncology to study cancer etiology. Main concern of hematologists is as follows.

• Blood bank test
• Blood transfusion analysis
• Treatment of hemoglobinopathies
• Stem cell transplantation
• Bone marrow transplantation
• Treatment of hemophilia
• Treatment of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
• Treatment of lymphoma
• Treatment of leukemia
• Treatment of other hematological deficiency and bleeding disorder

Clinical Laboratory hematology

It is predicted that every individual has almost 5 liters of blood. Oxygen is transported from tissues to organs through bloodstream thereby reduces the transport of carbon dioxide. Other than oxygen, elements of nutrition like protein, fats, glucose are also transported to tissues. Liquid portion of blood is referred as plasma. Plasma helps in transport of coagulation enzymes in order to protect the cells and tissues and blood circulation. Plasma helps in nourishment of cells and tissues.

Types of blood cell family

Blood cells are of three following types.

• Red blood cell (RBC) also referred as erythrocytes
• White blood cells (WBC) also referred as leukocytes
• Platelets also referred as thrombocytes

History of hematology

• 1657 - Athanasius Kitcher found worm in blood
• 1674 - Anton Van Leeuwenhoek found RBC count
• Late 1980s - Giulio Bizzozero explained platelets using terminology as ‘petites p;aques’
• 1902 – James Homer Wright developed Wright stain

Even though number of staining technologies is available, heart of laboratory hematology technique of today depends mainly on Wright Romanowsky technique for blood smear under microscope.

Questions:

• Describe advanced hematology procedures
• How do you examine blood film?
• Write short note on blood type family.
• Brief hematology quality assurance and quality control.
• Give universal precautionary standards of hematology
• How do you affirm clinical laboratory pathology?