Hematology is the medical specialty that focuses on the study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases affecting the blood, bone marrow, and lymphatic system, including disorders of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, hemoglobin, and coagulation.

What conditions are treated by a hematologist?

A hematologist manages conditions such as anemia, iron deficiency, leukemias, lymphomas, myeloma, bleeding and clotting disorders, inherited blood diseases, and persistent abnormalities detected on blood tests or blood smears.

What is the difference between hematology and oncology?

Hematology covers benign and malignant blood disorders, while oncology primarily focuses on solid tumors; the two overlap in the management of blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma.

What is a peripheral blood smear and why is it important?

A peripheral blood smear is a microscopic examination of blood cells that helps assess red cell morphology, white cell differentials, and platelet numbers, and it supports diagnosis in many hematological disorders.

What blood tests are commonly used in hematology?

Common tests include the complete blood count (CBC), blood film examination, coagulation studies, iron studies, vitamin B12 and folate levels, and specialist investigations such as bone marrow examination when indicated.

What is the role of the bone marrow in hematology?

Bone marrow is the primary site of blood cell production, where hematopoietic stem cells mature into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, making it central to normal hematopoiesis and many blood disorders.

When should a patient be referred to a hematologist?

Referral is appropriate for unexplained anemia, persistent abnormal blood counts, recurrent bleeding or thrombosis, suspected blood cancers, or ongoing abnormalities on blood tests or peripheral blood smears.

What is the difference between hematology and hematopathology?

Hematology is the clinical specialty providing patient care for blood disorders, while hematopathology focuses on laboratory diagnosis using blood films, bone marrow biopsies, and specialized testing.

Why is hematology important in general medicine?

Hematology is important because blood abnormalities may reflect systemic disease, infection, inflammation, malignancy, nutritional deficiency, or organ dysfunction, and blood tests are fundamental to medical diagnosis.

Is hematology a medical or laboratory specialty?

Hematology is both clinical and laboratory-based, combining patient management with interpretation of blood tests, blood smears, and bone marrow findings.

What does the term haematology mean?

Haematology is the British spelling of hematology and refers to the same specialty concerned with blood, blood-forming organs, and blood disorders.

How does hematology help in diagnosing disease early?

Hematology supports early diagnosis through routine blood tests and microscopic examination, which can identify conditions such as anemia, infection, leukemia, and coagulation abnormalities before symptoms become advanced.

Lymphomas Archives - Ask Hematologist

Approach to Lymphocytosis

October 31, 2019 17 comments

Peripheral blood film showing Burkitt lymphoma with vacuolated basophilic lymphoid cells

An effective approach to lymphocytosis is essential for accurate diagnosis and timely management in hematology. Lymphocytosis, defined as an increased lymphocyte count in the peripheral blood, can be reactive to infection, inflammatory states, or stress, but it may also signal underlying hematologic malignancies such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or other lymphoproliferative disorders. A structured evaluation helps clinicians differentiate between […]

Category: Lymphomas

Castleman Disease

January 29, 2019 2 comments

What is Castleman Disease? Castleman disease is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder that affects the lymph nodes and related tissues. It was first described in the 1950s by Benjamin Castleman. The condition is also known as Castleman’s disease, giant lymph node hyperplasia, or angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia (AFH). Castleman disease is not a cancer, but it is classified as a non-clonal lymphoproliferative […]

Category: Lymphomas

Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia

October 10, 2016 2 comments

Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM), a subtype of lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, is an indolent B-cell malignancy characterized by clonal proliferation of small lymphocytes with plasmacytoid differentiation in the bone marrow and excessive production of monoclonal IgM. This rare hematologic neoplasm behaves more like a lymphomatous disorder than a plasma-cell dyscrasia and is classified among the malignant monoclonal gammopathies. The marked overproduction of IgM […]

Category: Lymphomas

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

September 28, 2016 5 comments

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) represents a broad and biologically diverse group of lymphoid malignancies arising from the clonal proliferation of B-cells, T-cells, or, less commonly, natural killer (NK) cells. The majority of non-Hodgkin lymphomas are of B-cell origin, while a smaller subset arises from T-cell or natural killer (NK) cell lineages. These cancers originate within the lymphatic system and may involve […]

Category: Lymphomas

Hodgkin’s Disease

August 5, 2016 Leave a comment

PET scan in Hodgkin’s lymphoma showing extensive FDG-avid disease at diagnosis and marked metabolic response after two cycles of ABVD chemotherapy

Hodgkin’s Disease (Hodgkin’s Lymphoma) is a malignant neoplasm that usually arises in a lymph node. It results from the clonal transformation of cells of B-cell origin, giving rise to pathognomonic binucleated Reed-Sternberg cells (RS cells). The nature of the malignant RS cell remains uncertain. Clonally integrated Epstein-Barr virus is present in the RS cells in about 40% of cases. The cause […]

Category: Lymphomas