Scientific Image Gallery
Welcome to our Scientific Image Gallery. Here you can find real-life examples of cell images, mostly (but not only) from peripheral blood films, that illustrate typical morphologic characteristics pointing to specific conditions or disorders. This constitutes their diagnostic value.
Click on an image to enlarge it and display a short description.
Peripheral blood (May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain) of a 27-year old patient with chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML). Normal red blood cells, marked thrombocytosis (2,750,000/µL), increased basophilic granulocytes (->) and a normal white blood cell count are observed. In this case no JAK2 mutation could be detected; instead the patient was tested positive for the BCR-ABL fusion gene.
<p>Peripheral blood (May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain) of a 27-year old patient with chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML). Normal red blood cells, marked thrombocytosis (2,750,000/µL), increased basophilic granulocytes (->) and a normal white blood cell count are observed. In this case no JAK2 mutation could be detected; instead the patient was tested positive for the BCR-ABL fusion gene.</p>
Peripheral blood (May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain) of a patient with ET showing an isolated thrombocytosis. A JAK2 mutation was detected by molecular biological techniques. The BCR-ABL fusion gene was not found.
<p>Peripheral blood (May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain) of a patient with ET showing an isolated thrombocytosis. A JAK2 mutation was detected by molecular biological techniques. The BCR-ABL fusion gene was not found.</p>
Peripheral blood (May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain) of a patient with MDS: on the left a pseudo-Pelger-Huet cell, on the right a dysplastic metamyelocyte. Anaemia and atypical platelets are also present. After peripheral blood and bone marrow analysis the diagnosis of refractory anaemia with excess of blasts (RAEB-1) was made.
<p>Peripheral blood (May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain) of a patient with MDS: on the left a pseudo-Pelger-Huet cell, on the right a dysplastic metamyelocyte. Anaemia and atypical platelets are also present. After peripheral blood and bone marrow analysis the diagnosis of refractory anaemia with excess of blasts (RAEB-1) was made.</p>
Peripheral blood (May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain) showing a typical B-CLL with an elevated lymphocyte count, normal granulocyte and platelet counts and normal red blood cells.
<p>Peripheral blood (May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain) showing a typical B-CLL with an elevated lymphocyte count, normal granulocyte and platelet counts and normal red blood cells.</p>
Cell description:
Size: up to 20 µm
Nucleus: eccentric with coarsely clumped chromatin, often clock-face chromatin pattern
Cytoplasm: strongly basophilic cytoplasm with apparent less basophilic Golgi zone adjacent to the nucleus
<p>Cell description: </p> <p>Size: up to 20 µm </p> <p>Nucleus: eccentric with coarsely clumped chromatin, often clock-face chromatin pattern </p> <p>Cytoplasm: strongly basophilic cytoplasm with apparent less basophilic Golgi zone adjacent to the nucleus</p>
Bone marrow histology (Giemsa stain) of a patient with multiple myeloma showing groups (nests) of plasma cells (->) in atypical locations. Normal plasma cells are usually located close to the blood vessels.
<p>Bone marrow histology (Giemsa stain) of a patient with multiple myeloma showing groups (nests) of plasma cells (->) in atypical locations. Normal plasma cells are usually located close to the blood vessels.</p>
Plasma cells in a cytospin prepared from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the patient with multiple myeloma, May-Gruenwald Giemsa stain
<p>Plasma cells in a cytospin prepared from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the patient with multiple myeloma, May-Gruenwald Giemsa stain</p>
Older ring forms of a Plasmodium falciparum infection.
<p>Older ring forms of a Plasmodium falciparum infection. </p>
It is of utmost importance to always report a correct value for the platelet concentration. When detecting thrombocytopenia the laboratory should therefore double-check that it is not due to platelet aggregates (->) (pseudo-thrombocytopenia). In a haematology analyser they are usually automatically identified and flagged. In a blood film they are mostly located at the feather edge or the lateral edges.
<p>It is of utmost importance to always report a correct value for the platelet concentration. When detecting thrombocytopenia the laboratory should therefore double-check that it is not due to platelet aggregates (->) (pseudo-thrombocytopenia). In a haematology analyser they are usually automatically identified and flagged. In a blood film they are mostly located at the feather edge or the lateral edges.</p>