Peripheral blood smear in sickle cell anemia

Peripheral blood smear from a patient with sickle cell anemia. This smear shows multiple sickle cells (arrows). There are also findings consistent with functional asplenia, including a nucleated red blood cell (upper left), a red blood cell containing a Howell-Jolly body (arrowhead), and target cells (dashed arrow).

High-power view of a normal peripheral blood smear. Several platelets (arrowheads) and a normal lymphocyte (arrow) can also be seen. The red cells are of relatively uniform size and shape. The diameter of the normal red cell should approximate that of the nucleus of the small lymphocyte; central pallor (dashed arrow) should equal one-third of its diameter.