Blood/Blood Cells and Cellular Components ›› Red Blood Cells ›› Abnormal
Elliptocyte (Ovalocyte)
›Microscopic Features:
- Same size or slightly larger than a normal RBC
- Usually longer and narrower than normal RBC
- Usually has a central pallor
- Some may be egg-shaped and some may be rod-like (sometimes referred to as pencil cells)
›Normal % blood-PB, marrow-BM, lymphoid tissue-LN:
- PB: Rare to None
- BM: Rare to None
- LN: Rare to None
›May Resemble:
›Differential Diagnoses:
Increased in:
Severe iron deficiency anemia
Hereditary elliptocytosis
Thalassemia (sometimes)
Severe iron deficiency anemia
Hereditary elliptocytosis
Thalassemia (sometimes)
›Classic Immunophenotype:
- N/A
›Cartoon Image:
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for direct comparison
for direct comparison
›Misc:
Similar to what is noted in Hereditary Stomatocytosis & Hereditary Spherocytosis (HS), Hereditary Elliptocytosis is also due to an underlying RBC membrane defect (the membrane defect in Hereditary Elliptocytosis is in many instances due to spectrin, ankyrin, or protein 4.1).