Laboratory Diagnostic Aids - Glossary

Arlo Guthrie — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:41:31 GMT

Current Revision posted to Revision Guide For Student Nurses - Part 2 by Arlo Guthrie on 4/20/2009 1:41:31 PM

Anticoagulant = A substance which prevents blood from clotting.

Anisocytosis = Inequality in the size of the red blood cells.

Basophil = A granular leukocyte with an irregularly shaped, relatively pale-staining nucleus that is partially constricted into 2 lobes, and with cytoplasm staining blue-black.

Crenation = Abnormal notching of erythrocytes.

Crystalluria = The presence of crystals in the urine.

Dysuria = Difficulty in passing urine.

Eosinophil = A type of white blood cell containing eosin-staining granules.

Erythrocyte = A mature red blood cell.

Granulocyte = Any cell containing granules in its cytoplasm.

Haematochezia = Faeces showing frank blood.

Haemobartinella = A blood parasite

Haemoglobinuria = The presence of lysed blood in the urine.

Haemolysis = The disintegration of red blood cells.

Howell jolly bodies = Basophilic nuclear remnants seen as the nucleated red blood cells change to young rbcs

Hypochromasia = Inadequate uptake of stain by cells.

Idiopathic = Of unknown cause.

Iris diaphragm = An aperture of the microscope that modifies the amount of light reaching the object.

Ketotic = Excessive ketone formation resulting in severe acidosis.

Leukocyte = A white blood corpuscle.

Lipaemia = The presence of excess fat in the blood.

Lymphocyte = A white blood cell formed in the lymphoid tissue; produces immune bodies to overcome and protect against infection.

Mcmaster slide = A special device for the microscopic used to count worm eggs.

Monocyte = A phagocytic white blood cell; it has one nucleus derived from the reticular cells.

Neutrophil = A polymorphonuclear leukocyte which has a neutral reaction to acid and alkaline dyes.

Objectives = The lenses of the microscope.

Occult blood = Hidden blood in the faeces; traces are so small that biochemical tests are required for detection.

Oliguria = Inability to urinate.

Plasma = The fluid portion of the blood in which the corpuscles are suspended.

PCV = Packed cell volume; the quantity of red blood cells in a sample expressed as a percentage.

Polychromasia = Differing intensity of staining.

Polyuria = Increased urination.

Post prandial = Post feeding.

Reagent = A substance employed to produce a chemical reaction.

Refractometer = An instrument used to measure the specific gravity of urine.

Reticulocyte = An immature red blood cell with no nucleus.

Romanowsky stain = A stain consisting of 2 dyes, one of which stains acidic tissue red (eosin) and the other which stains basic tissue blue (haematoxylin) - suitable for the examination of blood smears.

Rouleux = Arrangements of red cells in stacks associated with an increase of fibrinogen or globulin concentration in the blood; normal in horses.

Sediment = The deposit of solid particles at the bottom of a liquid.

Serum = The clear fluid residue of blood from which the corpuscles and fibrin have been removed.

Stercobilin = A brown-orange pigment derived from bile and present in faeces.

Substage condenser = The part of the microscope that focuses an image of the light source upon the object in view.

Supernatant = The liquid part of a sample following centrifugation.

Target cells = Red blood cells with a central rounded area of haemoglobin surrounded by a clear zone; may be seen in cases of non-regenerative anaemia.

Tenesmus (faecal) = Painful or ineffective attempts to pass faeces.

Tenesmus (urinary) = Painful or ineffective attempts to pass urine.

Thrombocyte = Platelet.

Urochrome = The pigment which gives urine its yellow colour.

Urolithiasis = The presence of bladder stones (calculi).

Vacutainer = A blood collection device incorporating a double-ended needle which draws blood into a sample tube by vacuum.

Vernier scale = A location finding device for the microscope.

Zoonotic disease = a disease transmittable from animals.