Hematology problem.
A hairy cell is a distinctive neoplastic cellular element with unique morphological and functional properties and is cytochemically identified by the tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase reaction. The identification of the hairy cell is essential for the diagnosis but a proper clinical presentation is also necessary. A careful scrutiny of a blood smear for the presence of hairy cells in, for example, a middle-aged male patient with pancytopenia and splenomegaly, is probably the most important step in diagnosis.
D001856:Bone Marrow Examination; D006801:Humans; D007937:Leukapheresis; D007943:Leukemia, Hairy Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013156:Splenectomy