Haematologists are physical therapists or paediatricians with additional training in disorders of the blood, bone marrow, and lymphatic system. They are specialists who work in hospitals, blood banks or clinics. Haematologists who practice in laboratories are called hematopathologists. They are trained in pathology, the branch of medicine that examines body tissues and blood under a microscope or a test.
If your primary care physician recommends that you see a haematologist, it may be because you are at risk for a condition that affects your red or white blood cells, platelets, blood vessels, bone marrow, lymph nodes, or spleen. . Some of these situations are:
Haemophilia, which prevents blood from clotting.
Sepsis, an infection in the blood.
Leukemia, a cancer that affects blood cells.
Lymphoma, a cancer that affects the lymph nodes and vessels.
Sickle cell anemia is a disease that prevents red blood cells from flowing freely through your circulatory system.
Thalassemia is a condition in which your body does not make enough haemoglobin.
Anemia is a condition in which there are not enough red blood cells in your body.
Deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot in the veins.
When do you need a haematologist?
Your primary care physician will most likely refer you. If you have or have reasons:
Anemia or low red blood cells
Deep vein thrombosis (blood clotting)
Leukemia, lymphoma, or multiple myeloma (cancer of the bone marrow, lymph nodes, or white blood cells)
Sepsis, a dangerous reaction to infection
Haemophilia, a genetic blood clotting disorder
Sickle cell disease, in which red blood cells are misdiagnosed
What tests do haematologists perform?
To diagnose or monitor blood disorders, haematologists often use these tests:
Complete blood count (CBC)
A complete blood count counts red and white blood cells, haemoglobin (protein in the blood), platelets (small cells that clot in the blood), and hematocrit (the ratio of blood cells to liquid plasma in the blood).
Prothrombin time (PT)
This test measures how long it takes for blood to clot. Your liver makes a protein called prothrombin that helps it clot. If your blood count is low or your doctor suspects you have a liver problem, a PT test can help monitor or diagnose your condition.
Partial thromboplastin time (PTT)
Like the prothrombin test, TTP measures how long it takes for blood to clot. If you have problem bleeding anywhere in your body (nostrils, heavy periods, pink urine) or if you injure yourself too lightly, your doctor can use the PTT to find out if it is causing a blood disorder problem.
International Common Ratio (INR)
If you take blood thinners like warfarin, your doctor can compare the results of your blood clotting test with other lab results to make sure the medicine is working properly and your liver is healthy. This calculation is called the International Common Index (INR).
Some newer home devices allow patients to perform their own INR tests at home, improving the quality of life for patients who need to measure blood clotting speed regularly.
Bone marrow biopsy
If your doctor thinks that you have not produced enough blood cells, you may need a bone marrow biopsy. A specialist uses a small needle to take bone marrow (a soft substance inside your bones) for analysis under a microscope.
Your doctor may prescribe a local anesthetic before a bone marrow biopsy. You will wake up quickly in the process.
The haematologist may have one of the following specialties.
Haemoglobinopathy
Haemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. Haemoglobinopathy Study of abnormal hemoglobin.
These abnormalities may indicate sickle cell disease, thalassemia, or other disorders. Each can cause episodes of pain.
Haematologic malignancy
This area of haematology focuses on the detection and treatment of blood cancers such as myeloma.
Blood cancers start in cells of the immune system or in the tissues that make up blood cells, such as the bone marrow.
Anemia
Anemias are conditions that lead to low levels of haemoglobin or red blood cells in the body.
Having anemia prevents blood from circulating in the body, which is high in oxygen. As a result, a person may feel unusually tired and experience muscle weakness.
Coagulopathy
Coagulopathy refers to irregular bleeding; It reflects the body's ability to clot blood.
Blood disorders like hemophilia are forms of coagulopathy. These make it harder for the body to control bleeding.
What to expect during test
You may not always get an interview with your hematologist. They often work with your intern, pediatrician, oncologist, or other primary care physician to explain your test results or monitor your condition. The lab technician who takes your blood sample is usually not a doctor. Blood draws only take a few minutes. You may need to wait a few days for the test results.
If you have a chronic blood-related condition, such as hemophilia, you will see them regularly.
What other procedures do haematologists perform?
Haematologists are involved in many treatments, therapies, and procedures related to blood and bone marrow. Hematologists:
Ablation therapy (procedures to remove abnormal tissue using heat, cold, lasers, or chemicals)
Blood transfusion
Bone marrow transplantation and stem cell donations
Cancer treatments including chemotherapy and biological treatments.
Growth factor treatments
Immunotherapy
Since blood disorders can affect any part of the body, haematologists often collaborate with other medical professionals, especially interns, pathologists, radiologists, and oncologists.
Haematologists treat both adults and children. They can work in hospitals, clinics or laboratories.
How is it related to oncology?
It is also common for haematologists to be trained in oncology, which is the treatment, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. Training in the USA enables these doctors to treat a wide variety of blood-related diseases, including some cancers.
A person with leukemia, such as leukemia or myeloma, can see an oncologist and a haematologist separately, or can see a doctor trained in both fields.
Not all people who receive a referral to an oncologist will have cancer. Most oncologists are trained in haematology and care for people with non-cancerous blood conditions.
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