Hematology is sometimes regarded as a purely laboratory subject, but is a clinical specialty in its own right. Understanding hematology requires insight into several distinct aspects: applied physiology, understanding the essential pathological processes of the blood, and the laboratory aspects. Nevertheless, there is no substitute for the clinical approach in the final assessment and management of any patient's disease, of whatever nature, and therefore, independent of any diagnostic test, the final evaluation and judgment must come from the clinician.

Diagnostic Hematology approaches the topic from the clinical decision-making perspective. It stresses the importance of effective, patient-centered care of hematological patients, requiring a comprehensive clinical insight into the disease processes, and thus provides an integrated clinical and pathological approach. Considerable emphasis is placed on obtaining the clinical history and examination, and the interpretation of the clinical patterns that are exposed from the ever increasing number of laboratory tests available. All the practical essentials are covered, ensuring that this book contains the vital clinical information needed by all physicians involved in hematological diagnoses.

Zusammenfassung

The approach described in this book is different from that in most student texts, and has been very successful in practice, starting almost from scratch, but omitting many of the 'basics' such as the details of hematopoiesis, laboratory technology, and so on, which are hardly relevant to the practising clinician and student in the wards, and are primarily of interest to the hematologist and sometimes to the clinical specialist. Considerable emphasis is given to the clinical history and examination, and the interpretation of the clinical patterns thus exposed. Hopefully it will overcome many of the traditional problems experienced in practical diagnostic haematology.

Inhalt
Preliminary Concepts.- Blood Diseases and Their Diagnosis (1).- Blood Diseases and Their Diagnosis (2).- Clinical Interactions Between the Blood and the Other Systems.- The Principles of Diagnosis and the Clinical Examination.- A Practical Approach to the FBC and Hemostatic Screen.- Anemia: General Considerations.- Microcytosis: The Microcytic Anemias.- Macrocytosis: The Macrocytic Anemias.- The Normocytic Anemias.- Thrombocytopenia.- Leukopenia.- Pancytopenia and Bicytopenia.- Thrombocytosis.- The Leukocytoses.- Polycythemia.- Erythrocytosis.- Bleeding Tendency.- Transfusion-Related Problems.- Iron Overload.- The Hypercoagulable States.- The Immune Deficiencies and the Immuno-lympho-plasma Proliferative Disorders.- Complex and Compound Disorders.- Graded Exercises.