Morphologic abnormalities, pseudosyndromes, and spurious test results

Various spurious ann artifactual results may be present in many laboratory test results. Artifactual abnormalities in hematologic findings have result ed in misdiagnoses (eg, myelodysplasia incorrectly diagnosed as Pelger-Huet anomaly), performance of inappropriate tests (eg, investigations for suspe cted prolongation of prothrombin time), and incorrect treatment (eg, phlebo tomy for pseudopolycythemia, dialysis for pseudohyperkalemia, and inappropr iate therapies for pseudoleukemia, pseudomyeloma, of pseudoanemia). Awarene ss of the spectrum of spurious and artifactual test results may help preven t such unfortunate occurrences.