About Haematology 

Haematology is the branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the blood and blood-forming organs. Such disorders may include:

• anaemias (reduced haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells) of which there are many causes

• disorders of iron metabolism essential for red blood cell formation

• other reductions in blood cells including white cells (anti–infection cells) and platelets (cells that initiate clotting)

• cancers of the blood cell system including acute and chronic leukaemias, lymphomas, myeloproliferative disorders, myelodysplastic syndromes and multiple myeloma

• disorders of blood clotting predisposing to easy bleeding or excess clotting (thrombosis)

 

To help in the diagnosis of blood and related disorders, you will probably have to have blood samples taken for analysis in the laboratory. These may include:

 

FBC (Full Blood Count): gives information on the number of cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets) in your blood.

 

ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate) and CRP (C Reactive Protein): screening tests that may give an indication of inflammatory disease or abnormal protein levels.

 

Coagulation/Clotting Screen: a group of tests to check coagulation or clotting function.

 

Other specialised blood tests: for identifying specific blood cell types and measuring specific blood proteins.

 

Bone Marrow Biopsy:  A sample of the blood forming tissue which often delineates the cause for any blood cell disorder.

 

Tissue biopsy of enlarged lymph glands: to determine cause of enlargement.

 

Special X-ray scans (e.g. computerised tomography-CT or CT-PET scans): to delineate any internal tissue abnormalities.

 

Doctors who specialise in haematology are called haematologists.