Hematology: Difference between revisions
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Hematology | {{wikipedia::Hematology}} | ||
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This article is a direct transclusion of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hematology article] and therefore may not meet the same editing standards as LIMSwiki. | |||
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Latest revision as of 17:57, 18 October 2021
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| System | Hematopoietic system |
|---|---|
| Subdivisions | Transfusion medicine |
| Significant diseases | Anemia, leukemia, lymphoma. |
| Significant tests | Blood film, bone marrow biopsy |
| Specialist | Hematologist |
| Occupation | |
|---|---|
| Names |
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Occupation type | Specialty |
Activity sectors | Medicine |
| Description | |
Education required |
|
Fields of employment | Hospitals, Clinics |
Hematology (spelled haematology in British English) is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of the cause, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to blood. It involves treating conditions that affect the components of blood, such as blood cells, platelets, clotting factors, and hemoglobin and other blood proteins, as well as the sources of production of these components, such as bone marrow and the spleen. Examples of hematologic disorders include anemias, blood clotting and bleeding disorders, and blood cancers such as leukemia, multiple myeloma, and lymphoma.[1]
Scope
Physicians (medical doctors) specialized in hematology are known as hematologists. Their work involves caring for patients with hematologic diseases, both in the hospital and the clinic. Hematologists are formally trained in diagnosing and treating both classical (noncancerous) and cancerous hematologic disorders; some hematologists specialize in one or the other, while some continue to see both types of patients throughout their careers.[1] Examples of conditions treated by hematologists include:
- anemias, such as iron deficiency anemia, sickle cell anemia, and aplastic anemia
- hemoglobinopathies, such as thalassemias and pathologic hemoglobin variants
- bleeding disorders, such as hemophilias and von Willebrand Disease
- clotting disorders, such as Factor V Leiden, antiphospholipid syndrome, and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
- blood cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma
- disorders requiring blood transfusions (see transfusion medicine)
- aftermath of bone marrow transplantation.[1]
Physicians who are not specialized in hematology can and do provide care for patients with hematologic disorders. For example, if a patient is found to have anemia while in the hospital for another problem, the physician caring for them can begin a workup to figure out why the patient is anemic and may choose to initiate treatment for the anemia. However, if initial testing does not provide a definitive answer or if the anemia is found to be particularly complex, that physician may choose to consult a hematologist to advise on more specialized or advanced next steps.[1]
In contrast to hematologists, who work directly with patients, hematopathologists are laboratory-based physicians who view blood films and bone marrow slides under the microscope, interpret various hematological test results and blood clotting test results, and write up their conclusions in reports which can then be used by hematologists and other physicians to dictate diagnoses and treatments.[2]
Training Pathway
To become a hematologist in the U.S., one must:
- complete a four-year medical degree (MD or DO)
- pass USMLE step 1 and USMLE step 2
- complete a three-year residency in internal medicine or pediatrics
- pass internal medicine or pediatrics board exams
- complete a three-year fellowship in hematology-oncology
- pass hematology and/or oncology subspecialty board exams.[3]
History
The term "hematology" first appeared in the medical literature in German physician Thomas Schwenke's Haematologia, sive sanguinis historia in 1743. At this time, the study of blood and its disorders had not yet matured into a distinct medical specialty, still being considered part of the broader field of internal medicine. Though blood had been examined under the microscope as early as the 17th century by microscopists such as van Leeuwenhoek, it was not until the advent of more advanced staining techniques and cell theory that the components of blood were characterized in greater detail. Erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets were studied, and the observation that platelets are derived from megakaryocytes was one of the keys that led to the critical conclusion that the core components of blood are derived in the bone marrow.[4]
Nomenclature
In the 21st century, there has been conversation on the naming convention for the portion of hematology relating to noncancerous disorders. This subfield has long been referred to as benign or nonmalignant hematology, but recent discourse has suggested that this may minimize the serious impact those conditions have on patients' lives. Consequently, some physicians advocate for the use of the term "classical hematology" to refer to the field of noncancerous hematology. This preserves the separation from the field of malignant hematology while avoiding terms that may understate the severity of noncancerous hematologic conditions.[5]
References
- 1 2 3 4 "What Is Hematology?". www.cancer.org. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- ↑ "Hematology – Pathology Reference Lab | Pathology Lab in San Antonio, TX". www.pathreflab.com. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- ↑ "What is a Hematologist?". Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- ↑ Mazzarello P (January 2020). "One hundred years of Haematologica". Haematologica. 105 (1): 12–21. doi:10.3324/haematol.2019.244350. ISSN 1592-8721. PMC 6939507. PMID 31894097.
- ↑ Al-Samkari H, Loren AW, Lee AI (June 2022). "The case for classical haematology: the impact of a name and the future of a field". The Lancet. Haematology. 9 (6): e455–e459. doi:10.1016/S2352-3026(22)00096-5. ISSN 2352-3026. PMID 35500590.
Notes
This article is a direct transclusion of article and therefore may not meet the same editing standards as LIMSwiki.
