Table 1: Guidelines for Reporting Red Blood Cell Morphology

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Table 1: Guidelines for Reporting Red Blood Cell Morphology

Cell TypeRBC Morphology Reporting Per High Power Field (1000x)
FewModerateMany
Acanthocytes (spur cells)Up to 1% of the field

or

1–2 cells per field

1–2.5% of the field

or

3–5 cells per field

>2.5% of the field

or

>5 cells per field

Fragmented red cells (schistocytes, helmet cells, keratocytes/horn cells)
Polychromatophilic cells
Sickle cells (drepanocytes)
Spherocytes
Teardrop cells (dacrocytes)
Cell TypeFewModerateMany
Echinocytes (burr cells) 5–25% of the field
or
10–50 cells per field
25–50% of the field
or
51–100 cells per field
>50% of the field
or
>100 cells per field
Hypochromic cells
Macrocytes
Microcytes
Ovalocytes (elliptocytes)
Stomatocytes
Target cells (codocytes)
Other RBC Morphologic Abnormalities
Double Cell Population
Report if present
RBC Agglutination
Rouleaux