Feasibility of Counting Smudge Cells as Lymphocytes in Differential Leukocyte Counts Performed on Blood Smears of Patients With Established or Suspected Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma

摘要

Lymphocytosis and smudge cells are commonly observed on the blood smears of patients with an established or suspected diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma. Excluding smudge cells from the manual differential count (MDIFF), a common laboratory practice, yields unreliable results and consequently necessitates performing the MDIFF testing on an albuminized blood smear.