Bench AIDS for the Morphological Diagnosis and Treatment of Anaemia

The bench aids for the diagnosis of anaemia from blood film morphology are intended as a guide for both doctors and technical laboratory staff working in haematology and as a teaching aid for students and trainees. Following measurement of haemoglobin, examination of blood films is an essential part of haematological investigation. The bench aids consist of a series of photomicrographs of stained blood films with accompanying text, which provide guidance for diagnosing the cause of anaemia from the appearance of the films. They describe the features to be looked for and they demonstrate how diagnosis will often depend on comprehension of the whole picture as revealed in a blood film. To highlight the importance of having well-made and well-stained films and of using a microscope with correctly adjusted optics and illumination, guidelines on these aspects are also included. The bench aids have been produced in a weatherproof plastic-sealed format that is robust and easy to use at the bench alongside the microscope. They are recommended for use by all health workers engaged in the routine diagnosis of anaemia.