Morphology – preparation, indications, evaluation of results. What is morphology? WE EXPLAIN

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Morphology is the basic laboratory test performed to diagnose a medical condition or detect abnormalities early. The morphological examination is based on the analysis of the blood composition, taking into account the number and quality of individual morphotic elements – red, white and platelet cells. If necessary, a morphology with a smear is performed.

Blood morphology – general examination

General examinations are most often ordered by the primary care physician in the initial phase of the diagnostic process. Thanks to basic tests, such as urine tests or just a morphology, it is easy to verify the patient’s health. If the results show a clear deviation from the norm, further testing may be necessary. It may also turn out that the symptoms are the result of a minor infection or are not related to the balance of the blood composition.

Blood morphology is also performed for control, so it is worth reporting for it at least once a year. You can get a referral for the test from your GP or choose to do it privately. The price of morphology it is not high – in the case of the basic version of the study, its maximum cost is usually a dozen or so zlotys.

Standard morphology it involves taking a small blood sample from a vein in your arm. This is a routine blood test that is done in both adults and children.

You can arrange a home blood sample and test if you use the uPatient company, whose test packages are available on Medonet Market. Take advantage of research tailored to your current needs:

1. Pre-consultation tests with a dietitian – home blood analysis,
2. Inhalation allergy – a package of blood tests,
3. Preventive examinations package – blood tests.

Do you need interpretation of test results? Are you worried about your symptoms? Contact your doctor. Make an online teleconsultation with your family doctor at haloDoctor.pl to get answers to your questions.

Morphology – preparation

If we plan to visit a donation point to donate blood for basic morphological examination, we should read the recommendations regarding proper preparation for tests. The reliability of the morphology results and the possibility of their correct interpretation by a doctor depend on this.

Na a few days before morphology (two or three) it is recommended to limit intense physical exertion, because as a result the test may indicate an increased concentration of leukocytes in the blood. Another issue is reaching for alcoholic drinks even three days before blood sampling – it is not recommended because they increase the MCV index, i.e. the average red blood cell volume.

1. Also read: Erythrocytes (red blood cells) – norm, structure, function, diseases

On the day of the morphological examination you should be fasting. It is best to eat the last, easily digestible meal the day before 18 p.m. or at least 00 hours before giving the blood sample. This also applies to reaching for coffee and tea. The collection itself, as a rule, takes place in the morning. The question of medications taken by the patient is also important. Some do not affect the test results, but the doctor will tell you if you can take the drug before taking the blood.

Immediately before the examination, it is recommended to rest in a sitting position, so it is worth arriving at the collection point a little earlier. In the morning or at the latest half an hour before morphology it is worth drinking a glass of still water.

What is morphology?

During blood collection for complete blood count the patient settles down in the chair while the nurse prepares the sampling kit. Before the procedure begins, it is worth mentioning any bleeding tendencies or fainting tendencies. The most common is puncture in the ulnar vein and the collection of 5 ml of blood, which is then sent for laboratory analysis. The place where the skin is broken, the patient should press on with a sterile gauze for a minimum of three to four minutes. This will stop any bleeding and minimize the risk of bruising.

Blood counts and a general urine test are basic tests that everyone should do at least once a year. They allow you to detect serious diseases at an early stage. Take care of your health and buy a research package on Medonet Market. Morphology is also the basic examination of pregnant women, which includes, inter alia, composition of the pregnancy test package – blood test package.

When to do the morphology?

As part of prophylaxis, it is worth doing morphology every year, even if you feel well and have a good assessment of your health. This is especially important because we may consider some of the body’s reactions to be natural, when in fact it is never certain whether they are the result of a progressive disease.

Chronic diseases or indications from a doctor in connection with the treatment we have undergone should induce us to more frequent blood tests. It is also good to perform an additional morphology when we observe disturbing symptoms, including persistent fatigue, weight fluctuations and recurring pains.

To specific indications for morphology include, among others:

1. pregnancy – in pregnant women, blood counts are recommended more often than average, i.e. at least five times in nine months; The attending physician decides about the need for additional tests;
2. chronic fatigue – fatigue and drowsiness are disturbing symptoms, especially if they persist for a long time and are accompanied by additional symptoms (pale skin, headaches, joint or muscle aches, problems with concentration; they may be partially associated with stress and an intense lifestyle, but abnormal levels of hemoglobin and red blood cells sometimes indicate anemia or hyperemia;
3. recurrent infections – frequent diseases may indicate disorders in the functioning of the immune system, which in the morphology are visible in the number of white blood cells;
4. slow healing of wounds and frequent appearance of bruises – may indicate a blood coagulation disorder that can be detected on the basis of the platelet count in the blood count (PLT), as well as additional tests, including fibrinogen concentration and prothrombin, thrombin or kaolin-kephalin time;

Check how the disease of Degos is caused by the disorder of blood coagulation

1. unjustified weight loss – a symptom of many different diseases, including absorption problems, anemia, organ failure, cancer (lymphoma, leukemia) and polycythemia.

Both women and men perform the morphology. Prophylactically, this examination should be carried out once a year, and in the event of any disturbing symptoms, it is the first and basic examination ordered by doctors. You can buy the morphology in packages with other tests, for example:

1. Woman’s health check – diagnostic blood tests,
2. Neoplastic diseases – risk assessment for women,
3. Oncology package for men – diagnostic tests,
4. Prophylactic blood tests for men,
5. Allergy – diagnostic blood tests.

It is worth knowing that sometimes fatigue and a decrease in immunity are the result of thyroid diseases, in which additional tests with a thyroid profile will help diagnose. Similar ailments can also be caused by depressive disorders, so it is important to have a medical history and, if necessary, referral to an appropriate specialist.

1. See also: Thrombocytes. Platelets, bleeding disorders and other medical conditions

Morphology with a smear

The morphological examination can be extended with a blood smear, i.e. counting the percentage of the individual types of white blood (lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, neutrophils and basophils). This kind of distinction is made in children and also when abnormalities appear in the basal morphology. Your doctor may order a morphology with a smear for symptoms such as enlarged spleen, bone discomfort, weakness, pale skin, or jaundice.

There are two methods of making a smear:

1. autofocus morphology – the number of individual morphotic elements is counted by an automaton;
2. morphology with manual smear – this type of smear is also called manual and microscopic, it consists in distributing blood on the plate and assessing its composition by a laboratory technician; it is a form of more accurate diagnosis.

While the price of standard morphology is around PLN 10, the cost of manual smear is slightly higher, around PLN 16-23.

1. Find out more about leukocytes.

Assessment of morphology results

When interpreting the results, the doctor compares the individual parameters assessed in the laboratory with each other. Particular attention is paid to indicators that may be related to the symptoms affecting the patient. Sometimes slight deviations from the norm are not a harbinger of any disease. This mainly concerns changes to individual parameters, as long as the others are at the correct level. The possibility of measurement error as well as differences in the standard in individual laboratories are always taken into account.

1. Learn the norms of morphology and how to interpret the results.

Based on the results of the morphology, diagnoses such as:

1. in the case of the white blood cell system – leukocytosis (high level of leukocytes) and leukopenia (low level of leukocytes);
2. in the case of the red blood cell system, erythrocytosis (an excess of red blood cells) and erythropenia (a shortage of red blood cells);
3. in the platelet system – thrombocytosis (thrombocytopenia) and thrombocypenia (thrombocytopenia).

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