Hematology Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. A patient has anemia and a mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of 68 fL. How is the anemia classified by red-cell size?
Normocytic
Microcytic
Macrocytic
Polycythemic
2. Which blood-smear description is characteristic of a spherocyte?
A red cell with a central stained area surrounded by a pale ring
A round, dense red cell with little or no central pallor
A fragmented red cell with irregular sharp edges
A large oval red cell with increased central pallor
3. A complete blood count during an acute bacterial infection shows leukocytosis. Which white-cell type is most likely to predominate?
Neutrophils
Eosinophils
Basophils
Plasma cells
4. A patient develops anemia after an episode of hemolysis. A high reticulocyte count most directly indicates what response?
Reduced red-cell production by the marrow
Failure of platelets to aggregate
Increased marrow production of new red cells
Reduced breakdown of aged red cells
5. In pernicious anemia, impaired intrinsic-factor activity primarily reduces the absorption of which nutrient?
Folate
Iron
Vitamin K
Vitamin B12
6. An elevated D-dimer reflects which biological process?
Release of platelet granules during adhesion
Conversion of fibrinogen into fibrin by thrombin
Breakdown of cross-linked fibrin
Production of coagulation factors by the liver
7. Which anticoagulant is commonly used in collection tubes for a complete blood count because it preserves blood-cell morphology?
Sodium citrate
EDTA
Heparin
Fluoride-oxalate
8. Which bone-marrow cell directly produces and releases platelets?
Myeloblast
Megakaryocyte
Proerythroblast
Plasma cell
9. Which laboratory pattern most strongly supports iron-deficiency anemia?
Low ferritin with high total iron-binding capacity
High ferritin with low total iron-binding capacity
High ferritin with high transferrin saturation
Normal ferritin with increased vitamin B12
10. Which molecular change produces hemoglobin S in sickle cell disease?
Deletion of an alpha-globin gene
Failure to synthesize heme because of iron loss
Replacement of glutamate by valine in a beta-globin chain
Replacement of valine by glutamate in an alpha-globin chain
11. What is the primary function of hemoglobin in red blood cells?
Breaking down fibrin after a clot forms
Producing antibodies against pathogens
Initiating platelet adhesion at an injury site
Transporting oxygen from the lungs to body tissues
12. A patient with a bleeding tendency has a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) but a normal PT. Which deficiency is most consistent with this pattern?
Factor VII deficiency
Factor X deficiency
Fibrinogen deficiency
Factor VIII deficiency
13. In healthy adults, which organ is the main source of erythropoietin in response to reduced oxygen availability?
Kidney
Bone marrow
Spleen
Liver
14. A clinician orders prothrombin time (PT) to evaluate a coagulation abnormality. Which portion of the coagulation system does PT assess most directly?
The intrinsic pathway only
Platelet adhesion and aggregation
The extrinsic and common pathways
The fibrinolytic system only
15. Under standard ABO typing, a person with type AB red cells is expected to have which naturally occurring antibodies in their plasma?
Neither anti-A nor anti-B
Anti-B only
Anti-A only
Both anti-A and anti-B
16. What does the term pancytopenia mean?
Reduced hemoglobin with a normal white-cell and platelet count
Reduced neutrophils with increased platelets
Increased production of all blood-cell lines
Reduced red cells, white cells, and platelets