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Blood, 1 August 2007, Vol. 110, No. 3, pp. 798. This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Rights and Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Related Collections Blood Work Social Bookmarking                   What's this?  Previous Article  |  Table of Contents  |  Next Article  BLOOD WORK Thrombocytopenia and target cells View larger version (86K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Neil Abramson, Baptist Cancer Institute   A 43-year-old white lawyer was referred for thrombocytopenia with no history of bruising or bleeding. He was a smoker who denied alcohol consumption and the use of drugs and medications. His spleen was palpable. The family history was negative for hematologic problems. Laboratory values included a platelet count of 70 x 109/L, hemoglobin of 111 g/L, and a normal white blood cell count. The peripheral smear affirmed the moderately decreased platelet count, but many targeted red cells were also noted. Target cells are seen in a number of disorders, both inherited (hemoglobin C, thalassemia, sickle cell disease, et cetera) and acquired (usually liver disease). When pressed about the possibility of liver disease because of target cells and an enlarged spleen, the patient reluctantly admitted to excessive alcohol consumption. Liver enzymes were mildly elevated. The hemoglobin electrophoresis and reticulocyte count were normal, and Coombs test, antinuclear antibodies, and rheumatoid antibody were negative. Thrombocytopenia that is associated with liver disease (portal hypertension) is often caused by nonimmune sequestration by an enlarged spleen. In this patient's case, the target red cells directed the investigation to the diagnosis.   The above image was first published in the ASH IMAGE BANK, a reference and teaching tool that is continually updated with new atlas images and images of case studies. For more information or to contribute to the Image Bank, visit ashimagebank.hematologylibrary.org. CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this? This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Rights and Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Related Collections Blood Work Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

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