Original MICA image-reading exercise, unscored. No clinical narrative absent from the source is added.
- Describe visible findings before proposing an interpretation.
- Suggest an interpretation and at least one image limitation.
- Which clinical findings or investigations would complement this observation?
Reveal the explained reading
Spherocytes: loss of central pallor
- Sign
- Loss of central pallor
- Confirm
- Laboratory evidence of haemolysis
- Direction
- Context and direct antiglobulin test
- Limitation
- No stand-alone aetiological diagnosis
Morphological description
Several red cells are small, deeply pink and lack visible central pallor. Others retain a pale central area.
Causes and diagnostic direction
Hereditary spherocytosis and some immune haemolytic processes are possible causes. Family history, examination and immunohaematological testing guide assessment.
Differential diagnoses
A thick part of the film may obscure central pallor. Red-cell fragments have more irregular outlines and should not be mistaken for spherocytes.
Pitfalls and limitations
A negative direct antiglobulin test alone does not prove an inherited disorder. The source description does not establish a final aetiology.
Take-home message
Recognise the morphology, establish whether haemolysis is present, then distinguish an acquired cause from an inherited abnormality.
Sources
- Bolton-Maggs et al. — Hereditary spherocytosis, BCSH guideline (2011 update) ↗
- Ed Uthman — document iconographique original / original image ↗
Documentary review: 2026-10-16
Media source & rights
- Author
- Ed Uthman
- Original source
- Ed Uthman — Spherocytes_(4670166434).jpg — CC BY 2.0
- Licence
- CC BY 2.0
- Changes
- Main image converted to lossless WebP, EXIF orientation applied and metadata removed. Full field, colours and annotations retained; proportional thumbnails without upscaling or clinical retouch. Original media licence retained.
- Dimensions
- 1593 × 1060 px
- Check
- 2026-10-16