MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Polychromatophilia

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Polychromatophilia

Contents of this page:
Definition	References

Definition

Polychromatophilia is an excessive number of abnormal red blood cells, known as polychromatophil cells, in the blood. Polychromatophilia means an attraction to multiple colors. In lab tests, these red blood cells stain with different types of dyes, and look different than normal red cells.

References

McPherson RA and Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 21st ed. Philadelphia, Pa: W.B. Saunders; 2006:470.

Update Date: 2/26/2007

Updated by: William Matsui, MD, Assistant Professor of Oncology, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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