blood disorders
Overview of Thrombocytopenia
Diagnosis of Thrombocytopenia
Blood tests to measure platelet count and clotting Other tests for disorders that may cause a low platelet count Doctors suspect thrombocytopenia in people who have abnormal bruising and bleeding or petechiae. They often check the number of platelets routinely in people who have disorders that might cause thrombocytopenia. Sometimes they discover thrombocytopenia when blood tests are done for other reasons in people who have no bruising or bleeding. Determining the cause of thrombocytopenia is critical to treating the condition. Certain symptoms may help determine the cause. For example, people usually have a fever when thrombocytopenia results from an infection. In contrast, they usually do not have a fever when the cause is Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) , An Enlarged Spleen , which a doctor may be able to feel during a physical examination, suggests that the spleen is trapping platelets and that thrombocytopenia results from a disorder that is causing the spleen to enlarge. The platelet count may be measured with an automated counter to determine the severity of thrombocytopenia, and a sample of blood may be examined under a microscope to provide clues to its cause. A sample of bone marrow removed and examined under a microscope ( Bone Marrow Examination ) may occasionally be needed to provide information about platelet production. 