Thalassemia vs Iron Deficiency Anemia (Rule of 3s) Peripheral Blood Smear Hematology Hemepath Basics

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This video is geared towards medical students, pathology/internal medicine/family practice residents, hematology or hematopathology fellows, or practicing pathologists or hematologists. Of course, this video is for educational purposes only and is not formal medical advice or consultation. Neither Dr. Ramos nor Dr. Gardner have any special inside knowledge of the content of the path/heme/hemepath/USMLE board examinations. This video is subjectively labeled as a "board review" purely because we believe these topics are potentially testable entities, not because we have any knowledge about the frequency that they will show up on actual board exams.

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[ZeshanShigriMedicalworld]

Sir, why we can see rbcs with no central pallor and ovalocytes (megaloblastic anemia), in your thalassemia slide

[redanofal]

Please, can you tabulate these important notes ?

[humbertchoi]

I have RBC 6.1, HGB 11.7, MCV 61, RDW 17.4
Which is sooo confusing...
so my high RDW points to iron deficiency
but then my high RBC count points to thalassemia

Any help given will be appreciated...