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Hematology, also spelled
American and British English spelling differences

American and British English spelling differences are one aspect of American and British English differences.The spelling systems of Commonwealth of Nations countries, for the most part, closely resemble the British system....
 haematology, is the branch of biology (physiology), pathology
Pathology

Pathology is the study and diagnosis of disease through examination of Organ , tissue , bodily fluids and whole bodies . The term also encompasses the related science study of disease processes, called General pathology....
, clinical laboratory, internal medicine
Internal medicine

Internal Medicine is the medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis, management and nonsurgical treatment of unusual or serious diseases. In North America, specialists in internal medicine are commonly called, "Internists." Elsewhere, especially in Commonwealth of Nations nations, such specialists are often called Physicians....
, and pediatrics
Pediatrics

Differences between adult and pediatric medicinePediatrics differs from adult medicine in many respects. The obvious body size differences are paralleled by maturational changes....
 that is concerned with the study of blood
Blood

Blood is a specialized bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's Cell s ? such as nutrients and oxygen ? and transports waste products away from those same cells....
, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases. Hermatology includes the study of etiology
Etiology

Etiology is the study of Causality. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek , aitiologia, "giving a reason for" .The word is most commonly used in medical and philosophical theories, where it is used to refer to the study of why things occur, or even the reasons behind the way that things act, and is used in philosophy, physics, psy...
, diagnosis
Diagnosis

Diagnosis is the identification of the nature of anything, either by process of elimination or other analytical methods. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines, with slightly different implementations on the application of logic and experience to determine the cause and effect relationships....
, treatment, prognosis
Prognosis

Prognosis is a medicine term denoting the Physician's prediction of how a patient will progress, and whether there is a chance of recovery. This word is often used in medical reports dictating a physician's view on a case....
, and prevention
Prevention

Prevention refers to:*Prevention *Prevention , an album by Scottish people band De Rosa *Prevention , a magazine about health in the United States...
 of blood diseases. The lab work that goes into the study of blood is performed by a Medical Technologist
Medical technologist

File:Lab tech.JPGA medical technologist is a healthcare professional who performs diagnostic analytic tests on body fluids such as blood, urine, sputum, feces, cerebrospinal fluid , peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, and synovial fluid, as well as other specimens....
.

Blood diseases affect the production of blood and its components, such as blood cells, hemoglobin
Hemoglobin

Hemoglobin is the iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein in the red blood cells of vertebrates, and the tissues of some invertebrates....
, blood proteins
Blood proteins

Blood proteins, also called serum proteins, are proteins found in blood plasma. Serum total protein in blood is 7g/dl, which in total makes 7% of total body weight....
, the mechanism of coagulation
Coagulation

Coagulation is a complex process by which blood forms clots. It is an important part of hemostasis , wherein a damaged blood vessel wall is covered by a platelet and fibrin-containing clot to stop hemorrhage and begin repair of the damaged vessel....
, etc.

Physicians specialized in hematology are known as haematologists.






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Encyclopedia


Hematology, also spelled
American and British English spelling differences

American and British English spelling differences are one aspect of American and British English differences.The spelling systems of Commonwealth of Nations countries, for the most part, closely resemble the British system....
 haematology, is the branch of biology (physiology), pathology
Pathology

Pathology is the study and diagnosis of disease through examination of Organ , tissue , bodily fluids and whole bodies . The term also encompasses the related science study of disease processes, called General pathology....
, clinical laboratory, internal medicine
Internal medicine

Internal Medicine is the medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis, management and nonsurgical treatment of unusual or serious diseases. In North America, specialists in internal medicine are commonly called, "Internists." Elsewhere, especially in Commonwealth of Nations nations, such specialists are often called Physicians....
, and pediatrics
Pediatrics

Differences between adult and pediatric medicinePediatrics differs from adult medicine in many respects. The obvious body size differences are paralleled by maturational changes....
 that is concerned with the study of blood
Blood

Blood is a specialized bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's Cell s ? such as nutrients and oxygen ? and transports waste products away from those same cells....
, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases. Hermatology includes the study of etiology
Etiology

Etiology is the study of Causality. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek , aitiologia, "giving a reason for" .The word is most commonly used in medical and philosophical theories, where it is used to refer to the study of why things occur, or even the reasons behind the way that things act, and is used in philosophy, physics, psy...
, diagnosis
Diagnosis

Diagnosis is the identification of the nature of anything, either by process of elimination or other analytical methods. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines, with slightly different implementations on the application of logic and experience to determine the cause and effect relationships....
, treatment, prognosis
Prognosis

Prognosis is a medicine term denoting the Physician's prediction of how a patient will progress, and whether there is a chance of recovery. This word is often used in medical reports dictating a physician's view on a case....
, and prevention
Prevention

Prevention refers to:*Prevention *Prevention , an album by Scottish people band De Rosa *Prevention , a magazine about health in the United States...
 of blood diseases. The lab work that goes into the study of blood is performed by a Medical Technologist
Medical technologist

File:Lab tech.JPGA medical technologist is a healthcare professional who performs diagnostic analytic tests on body fluids such as blood, urine, sputum, feces, cerebrospinal fluid , peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, and synovial fluid, as well as other specimens....
.

Blood diseases affect the production of blood and its components, such as blood cells, hemoglobin
Hemoglobin

Hemoglobin is the iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein in the red blood cells of vertebrates, and the tissues of some invertebrates....
, blood proteins
Blood proteins

Blood proteins, also called serum proteins, are proteins found in blood plasma. Serum total protein in blood is 7g/dl, which in total makes 7% of total body weight....
, the mechanism of coagulation
Coagulation

Coagulation is a complex process by which blood forms clots. It is an important part of hemostasis , wherein a damaged blood vessel wall is covered by a platelet and fibrin-containing clot to stop hemorrhage and begin repair of the damaged vessel....
, etc.

Physicians specialized in hematology are known as haematologists. Their routine work mainly includes the care and treatment of patients with haematological diseases, although some may also work at the haematology laboratory viewing blood film
Blood film

A blood film or peripheral blood smear is a microscope slide made from a drop of blood, that allows the cells to be examined microscopically....
s and bone marrow
Bone marrow

Bone marrow is the flexible biological tissue found in the hollow interior of bones. In adults, marrow in large bones produces new blood cells....
 slides under the microscope
Microscope

A microscope is an Laboratory equipment for viewing objects that are too small to be seen by the naked or unaided eye. The science of investigating small objects using such an instrument is called microscopy....
, interpreting various haematological test results. In some institutions, haematologists also manage the haematology laboratory. Physicians who work in haematology laboratories, and most commonly manage it, are pathologists specialized in the diagnosis of haematological diseases, referred to as haematopathologists. Haematologists and haematopathologists generally work in conjunction to formulate a diagnosis and deliver the most appropriate therapy if needed. Haematology is a distinct subspecialty of internal medicine, separate from but overlapping with the subspecialty of medical oncology. Haematologists may specialise further or have special interests, for example in:
  • treating bleeding disorders such as hemophilia and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
    Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

    Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is the condition of having a low platelet platelet count of no known cause . As most causes appear to be related to antibody against platelets, it is also known as immune thrombocytopenic purpura or immune-mediated thrombocytopenic purpura....
  • treating haematological malignacies such as lymphoma
    Lymphoma

    Lymphoma is a type of cancer that originates in lymphocytes of the immune system. They often originate in lymph nodes, presenting as an enlargement of the node ....
     and leukemia
    Leukemia

    Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow and is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of blood Cell , usually white blood cells ....
     (onco haematology)
  • treating haemoglobinopathies
  • in the science of blood transfusion
    Blood transfusion

    Blood transfusion is the process of transferring blood or blood-based products from one person into the circulatory system of another. Blood transfusions can be life-saving in some situations, such as massive blood loss due to Physical trauma, or can be used to replace blood lost during surgery....
     and the work of a blood bank
    Blood bank

    A blood bank is a cache or bank of blood or List of human blood components, gathered as a result of blood donation, stored and preserved for later use in blood transfusions....
  • in bone marrow and stem cell transplantation


(Hema- comes from the Greek word "`'aima" meaning "blood", -ology means study of.)

Common basic clinical hematology tests


In a clinical laboratory the hematology department performs numerous different tests on blood. The most commonly performed test is the complete blood count
Complete blood count

A complete blood count , also known as full blood count or full blood exam or blood panel, is a test requested by a physician or other medical professional that gives information about the cells in a patient's blood....
 (CBC) also called full blood count (FBC), which Coagulation
Coagulation

Coagulation is a complex process by which blood forms clots. It is an important part of hemostasis , wherein a damaged blood vessel wall is covered by a platelet and fibrin-containing clot to stop hemorrhage and begin repair of the damaged vessel....
 is a sub-speciality of hematology; basic general coagulation tests are the prothrombin time
Prothrombin time

The prothrombin time and its derived measures of prothrombin ratio and international normalized ratio are measures of the extrinsic pathway of coagulation....
 (PT) and partial thromboplastin time
Partial thromboplastin time

The partial thromboplastin time or activated partial thromboplastin time is a performance indicator measuring the efficacy of both the "intrinsic" and the common coagulation pathways....
 (PTT). Another common hematology test in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate , also called a sedimentation rate or Biernacki Reaction, is the rate at which red blood cells precipitate in a period of 1 hour....
 (ESR).

In a blood bank
Blood bank

A blood bank is a cache or bank of blood or List of human blood components, gathered as a result of blood donation, stored and preserved for later use in blood transfusions....
 the Coombs test
Coombs test

Coombs test refers to two clinical blood tests used in immunohematology and immunology. The two Coombs tests are the direct Coombs test , and the indirect Coombs test ....
 is the most commonly performed test.

Hematology as basic medical science

  • Blood
    Blood

    Blood is a specialized bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's Cell s ? such as nutrients and oxygen ? and transports waste products away from those same cells....
    • Venous blood
      Venous blood

      In the circulatory system, venous blood is blood returning to the heart . With one exception this blood is deoxygenated and high in carbon dioxide, having released oxygen and absorbed carbonoxygen2 in the tissues....
    • Venipuncture
      Venipuncture

      In medicine venipuncture or venepuncture is the process of obtaining a sample of Vein blood. Usually a 5 ml to 25 ml sample of blood is adequate depending on what blood tests have been requested....
    • Haemopoiesis
    • Blood tests
    • Cord blood
      Cord blood

      Umbilical cord blood is up to 180mL of blood from a Infant that is returned to the neonatal circulation if the umbilical cord is not prematurely clamped....
  • Red blood cell
    Red blood cell

    Red blood cells are the most common type of blood cell and the vertebrate body's principal means of delivering oxygen to the body tissues via the blood....
    s
    • Erythropoiesis
      Erythropoiesis

      Erythropoiesis is the process by which red blood cells are produced. In human adults, this usually occurs within the bone marrow. In the early fetus, erythropoiesis takes place in the mesodermal cells of the yolk sac....
    • Erythropoietin
      Erythropoietin

      Erythropoietin, or its alternative erythropoetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production....
    • Iron metabolism
    • Haemoglobin
    • Glycolysis
      Glycolysis

      Glycolysis is the metabolic pathway that converts glucose, C6H12O6, into pyruvate, C3H5O3-....
    • Pentose phosphate pathway
      Pentose phosphate pathway

      The pentose phosphate pathway is a process that serves to generate NADPH and the synthesis of pentose sugars. There are two distinct phases in the pathway....
  • Reticuloendothelial system
    Reticuloendothelial system

    The reticuloendothelial system , part of the immune system, consists of the phagocytosis cells located in reticular connective tissue, primarily monocytes and macrophages....
    • Bone marrow
      Bone marrow

      Bone marrow is the flexible biological tissue found in the hollow interior of bones. In adults, marrow in large bones produces new blood cells....
    • Spleen
      Spleen

      The spleen is an organ found in all vertebrate animals. In humans, the spleen is located in the abdomen of the body, where it functions in the destruction of redundant red blood cells, and holds a reservoir of blood....
    • Liver
      Liver

      The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals; it has a wide range of functions, a few of which are detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion....
  • Lymphatic system
    Lymphatic system

    The lymphatic system in vertebrates is a network of conduits that carry a clear fluid called lymph. It also includes the lymphoid tissue through which the lymph travels....
  • Blood transfusion
    Blood transfusion

    Blood transfusion is the process of transferring blood or blood-based products from one person into the circulatory system of another. Blood transfusions can be life-saving in some situations, such as massive blood loss due to Physical trauma, or can be used to replace blood lost during surgery....
    • Blood plasma
      Blood plasma

      Blood plasma is the liquid component of blood, in which the blood cells are suspended. It makes up about 55% of total blood volume. It is composed of mostly water , and contains dissolved proteins, glucose, clotting factors, mineral ions, Hormone and carbon dioxide ....
    • Blood bank
      Blood bank

      A blood bank is a cache or bank of blood or List of human blood components, gathered as a result of blood donation, stored and preserved for later use in blood transfusions....
    • Blood donors
    • Blood groups
  • Haemostasis
    • Coagulation
      Coagulation

      Coagulation is a complex process by which blood forms clots. It is an important part of hemostasis , wherein a damaged blood vessel wall is covered by a platelet and fibrin-containing clot to stop hemorrhage and begin repair of the damaged vessel....
    • Vitamin K
      Vitamin K

      Vitamin K denotes a group of lipophilic, hydrophobic vitamins that are needed for the posttranslational modification of certain proteins, mostly required for blood coagulation....
  • Complement system
    Complement system

    The complement system is a biochemical cascade that helps clear pathogens from an organism. It is part of the larger immune system that is not adaptable and does not change over the course of an individual's lifetime; as such it belongs to the innate immunity....
    • Immunoglobulins


abnormality of the hemoglobin
Hemoglobin

Hemoglobin is the iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein in the red blood cells of vertebrates, and the tissues of some invertebrates....
 molecule or of the rate of hemoglobin synthesis)
  • Anemia
    Anemia

    Anemia or an?mia/anaemia is defined as a qualitative or quantitative deficiency of hemoglobin, a protein found inside red blood cells ....
    s     (lack of red blood cells or hemoglobin)
  • Hematological malignancies
  • Coagulopathies
    Coagulopathy

    Coagulopathy is a medical term for a defect in the body's mechanism for blood clotting....
     (disorders of bleeding
    Bleeding

    Bleeding, technically known as hemorrhaging or haemorrhaging is the loss of blood from the circulatory system. Bleeding can occur internally, where blood leaks from blood vessels inside the body or externally, either through a natural opening such as the vagina, Mouth , nose, or anus, or through a break in the skin....
     and coagulation
    Coagulation

    Coagulation is a complex process by which blood forms clots. It is an important part of hemostasis , wherein a damaged blood vessel wall is covered by a platelet and fibrin-containing clot to stop hemorrhage and begin repair of the damaged vessel....
    )


Tests

Tests used in the investigation of hematological problems include:
  • Full blood count
  • Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
    Erythrocyte sedimentation rate

    The erythrocyte sedimentation rate , also called a sedimentation rate or Biernacki Reaction, is the rate at which red blood cells precipitate in a period of 1 hour....
     (ESR)
  • Blood film
    Blood film

    A blood film or peripheral blood smear is a microscope slide made from a drop of blood, that allows the cells to be examined microscopically....
  • Bone marrow examination
  • Coombs test
    Coombs test

    Coombs test refers to two clinical blood tests used in immunohematology and immunology. The two Coombs tests are the direct Coombs test , and the indirect Coombs test ....
  • Diascopy
    Diascopy

    Diascopy is a test for Blanch_ performed by simply applying pressure with a finger or glass slide and observing color changes.Reference...
  • serum Ferritin
    Ferritin

    Ferritin is a globular protein complex consisting of 24 protein subunits and is the main intracellular iron storage protein in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, keeping it in a soluble and non-toxic form....
     level
  • Vitamin B12
    Vitamin B12

    Vitamin B12 is a water soluble vitamin with a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, and for the formation of blood....
     and Folate levels
  • Prothrombin time
    Prothrombin time

    The prothrombin time and its derived measures of prothrombin ratio and international normalized ratio are measures of the extrinsic pathway of coagulation....
  • Partial thromboplastin time
    Partial thromboplastin time

    The partial thromboplastin time or activated partial thromboplastin time is a performance indicator measuring the efficacy of both the "intrinsic" and the common coagulation pathways....
  • Protein electrophoresis
    Protein electrophoresis

    In medicine, protein electrophoresis is a method of analysing a mixture of proteins by means of gel electrophoresis, mainly in blood blood plasma ....
  • Hemoglobin electrophoresis
    Hemoglobin electrophoresis

    Hemoglobin electrophoresis is a blood test that can detect different types of hemoglobin. It uses the principles of gel electrophoresis to separate out the various types of hemoglobin....
  • D-dimer
    D-dimer

    D-dimer is a fibrin degradation product, a small protein fragment present in the blood after a thrombus is degraded by fibrinolysis.D-dimer concentration may be determined by a blood test to help diagnose thrombosis....
  • EOS
    Eosinophil granulocyte

    Eosinophil granulocytes, usually called eosinophils , are white blood cells that are one of the immune system components responsible for combating infection and parasites in vertebrates....


Treatments

Treatments include:
  • Diet
    Dieting

    File:Feet on scale.jpgDieting is the practice of Eating food in a regulated fashion to achieve or maintain a controlled weight. In most cases the goal is weight loss in those who are overweight or obese, but some athletes aspire to gain weight and diets can also be used to maintain a stable body weight....
     advice
  • Oral medication
    Medication

    A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine or medicament, can be loosely defined as any substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease....
     - tablets or liquid medicines
  • Anticoagulation therapy
  • Intramuscular injections (for example, Vitamin B12
    Vitamin B12

    Vitamin B12 is a water soluble vitamin with a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, and for the formation of blood....
     injections)
  • Blood transfusion
    Blood transfusion

    Blood transfusion is the process of transferring blood or blood-based products from one person into the circulatory system of another. Blood transfusions can be life-saving in some situations, such as massive blood loss due to Physical trauma, or can be used to replace blood lost during surgery....
     (for anemia
    Anemia

    Anemia or an?mia/anaemia is defined as a qualitative or quantitative deficiency of hemoglobin, a protein found inside red blood cells ....
    )
  • Venesection also known as therepeutic phlebotomy (for iron overload or polycythemia
    Polycythemia

    Polycythemia is a condition in which there is a net increase in the total number of blood cells, primarily red blood cells, in the body. The overproduction of red blood cells may be due to a primary process in the bone marrow , or it may be a reaction to chronically Hypoxia or, rarely, a malignancy....
    )
  • Bone marrow transplant
    Bone marrow transplant

    Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the transplantation of Pluripotential hemopoietic stem cell derived from the bone marrow or blood. Stem cell transplantation is a medical procedure in the fields of hematology and oncology, most often performed for people with diseases of the blood, bone marrow, or certain types of cancer....
     (for example, for leukemia
    Leukemia

    Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow and is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of blood Cell , usually white blood cells ....
    )
  • Chemotherapy
    Chemotherapy

    Chemotherapy, in its most general sense, refers to treatment of disease by chemicals that kill cells, specifically those of micro-organisms or cancer....
     (for example, for leukemia
    Leukemia

    Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow and is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of blood Cell , usually white blood cells ....
    )
  • Radiotherapy (in decline, for example, for leukemia
    Leukemia

    Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow and is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of blood Cell , usually white blood cells ....
    )


Alphabetical lists

  • Hematologists
  • Blood disorders
  • Hematology topics


External links

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