Hematopoietic & Lymphoid Disorders Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering Hematopoietic & Lymphoid Disorders including hematologic terms, cell lineages, leukemias, lymphomas, bleeding disorders, polycythemias, and anemias.

Hemoglobin

A protein that carries oxygen in the blood.

Hematocrit

The percentage of total blood volume that is made up of red blood cells.

Petechiae

Brown or purple spots on the skin resulting from minor bleeding under the skin.

Ecchymosis

Bruising caused by bleeding beneath the skin.

Erythropoiesis

The biological process of red blood cell formation.

Splenomegaly

An abnormal enlargement of the spleen.

Hepatomegaly

An abnormal enlargement of the liver.

Neutrophils

White blood cells comprising 60% to 80% of total WBC count, with a lifespan half-life of 4 to 10 hours in tissue and 6 hours in circulation once released from bone marrow.

Myeloid Cells

Cells originating from myeloid stem cells, including neutrophils, monocytes, red blood cells, megakaryocytes, and platelets.

Lymphoid Cells

Immune cells originating from lymphoid stem cells, which include T-cells, B-cells, and Natural Killer (NK) cells.

Philadelphia Chromosome

An abnormal chromosome formed by a translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22, resulting in a new bcr-abl fusion gene characteristic of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)

A myeloproliferative disorder caused by the overproduction of mature granulocytes carrying the Philadelphia chromosome, causing reduced apoptosis and WBC counts reaching $150,000\text{ cells/}\frac{1}{\text{µL}}$

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

A group of malignancies involving myeloid stem cells characterized by abrupt onset, an increase in immature blast cells, prolonged apoptosis, and accounting for 80% of adult leukemias.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

A lymphoid neoplasm usually caused by malignant B-cell precursors invading lymphoid tissue and bone marrow, leading to failure of B-cell maturation and prolonged apoptosis.

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)

A leukemia common in children involving malignant transformation of T or B-cells in the bone marrow, where lymphoblasts crowd the bone marrow and suppress normal blood cell production.

Bence Jones Proteins

Abnormal antibody fragments produced by malignant B-cells and found elevated in plasma cell myeloma.

Multiple Myeloma

A plasma cell malignancy of B-cells characterized by Bence Jones proteins, honeycomb bone lesions, elevated blood $Ca^{2+}$, renal failure, and bone pain.

Reed-Sternberg Cells

Abnormal giant B-cells characteristic of Hodgkin's Lymphoma, often associated with Epstein-Barr Virus exposure.

Hodgkin's Lymphoma

A malignancy of lymph nodes characterized by the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells, predictable metastatic spread, and painless lymphadenopathy.

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

A diverse group of lymph node malignancies originating in B-cells, T-cells, or NK cells that lack Reed-Sternberg cells and spread early in unpredictable patterns.

Mononucleosis

An infection caused by the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) transmitted via saliva, presenting with pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, fever, splenomegaly, and hepatomegaly.

Neutropenia

An abnormally low neutrophil count ($<500\text{ cells/}\frac{1}{\text{µL}}$) that severely increases vulnerability to life-threatening infections and requires protective neutropenic precautions.

Thrombocytopenia

A deficiency in blood platelets that leads to prolonged bleeding times, petechiae, purpura, epistaxis, and risk of intracranial hemorrhage.

Thrombocytosis

A condition involving transient excess release of preformed platelets, which can cause paradoxical hemorrhage, peripheral ischemia, and pulmonary emboli.

Hemophilia A

An inherited X-linked recessive bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency in Factor VIII, leading to an inability to form a stable fibrin clot.

Hemophilia B

An inherited X-linked recessive bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency in Factor IX.

Von Willebrand Disease

An autosomal dominant bleeding disorder characterized by a deficiency or absence of a key carrier protein required for Factor VIII.

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)

A condition secondary to severe underlying pathology where widespread intravascular thrombosis consumes platelets and clotting factors, ultimately causing widespread hemorrhage.

Polycythemia Vera

A malignant condition marked by excessive production of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, causing increased blood viscosity and severe hypertension.

Relative Polycythemia

An apparent increase in red blood cell concentration resulting from fluid loss and dehydration rather than true cell overproduction.

Secondary Polycythemia

An adaptive increase in red blood cell production triggered as a compensatory response to chronic hypoxemia.

Sickle Cell Anemia

An autosomal recessive hemoglobinopathy characterized by abnormal hemoglobin S (HgS) that deforms red blood cells under stress, causing painful vaso-occlusion and organ ischemia.

Thalassemia

An autosomal recessive disorder causing deficient hemoglobin synthesis, hypochromic microcytic anemia, Heinz body formation, and severe bone marrow expansion.

Heinz Bodies

Inclusions within red blood cell precursors in the bone marrow seen in Thalassemia that impair normal RBC production.

Iron Deficiency Anemia

A microcytic hypochromic anemia most commonly caused by chronic blood loss, resulting in depleted iron stores, low H&H, brittle hair/nails, and pica.

Megaloblastic Anemia

Anemia caused by Folate (Vitamin B9) or Vitamin B12 deficiency resulting in impaired DNA synthesis and abnormally large blood cell precursors in bone marrow.

Pernicious Anemia

A type of megaloblastic anemia caused by a lack of intrinsic factor necessary for Vitamin B12 absorption, leading to neurological signs such as paresthesia, ataxia, and cognitive decline.

Aplastic Anemia

A severe form of bone marrow depression resulting in low counts across all blood cell lines (pancytopenia: low RBCs, WBCs, and platelets).