Assessment of platelet numbers and morphology in the peripheral blood smear.
Automated systems are currently in widespread use for the assessment of patients' complete blood counts. The evaluation of the peripheral blood smear, however, still constitutes a pivotal tool in the evaluation of patients with hematologic disorders. This article focuses on disorders affecting the number or morphology of platelets as assessed by evaluation of a peripheral blood smear and also outlines some of their important clinical findings.
Moreno
Alvaro
A
Division of Hematology Oncology and Internal Medicine, Mayo Medical School, Jacksonville, Florida, USA. MorenoAspitia.Alvaro@mayo.edu
Menke
David
D
D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D010976:Platelet Count / Q000379:methods*; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis