spherocyte

Introduction

Spherocytes are small hyperchromic erythrocytes on peripheral smears, lacking central pallor. Mean corpuscular volume is not reduced.

Etiology

• hereditary spherocytosis
• extravascular hemolysis
  • autoimmune warm hemolytic anemia
  • glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
• splenectomy
• Clostridium infections
• hypophosphatemia

More general terms

• erythrocyte-variant

Additional terms

• spherocytes in body fluid
• spherocytosis (microspherocytosis)