Giant platelets 

 

These four images were taken from the 1997 Cytohematology Proficiency Test Event - Slide 004. All four images represent giant platelets. A normal red cell is 6-8 µm in diameter. Normal platelets are approximately 1-4 µm, large platelets are approximately 4-6.5 µm. Any platelet larger than 6.5 µm may be classified as a giant platelet. Giant platelets may be seen in Bernard-Soulier syndrome and in myeloproliferative disorders (chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), polycythemia vera, essential (primary) thrombocythemia, and agnogenic myeloid metaplasia).

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