A patient's blood film had marked echinocytes and many broken and vacuolated neutrophils. The same patient's blood film the day before did not show these features. Select the best course of action
a. Report the results.
b. Make a new film.
c. Disregard these findings as artifact.
d. Collect a new sample and make the film within 5 hours.
ANS: D
Blood films made from ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) blood that has remained at room temperature for more than 5 hours will often contain the findings noted previously. Slides should ideally be made within 2 to 3 hours of drawing the specimen if good quality morphology is desired.
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