"Smudge cells" in the peripheral smear are characteristic of:
Chronic myelogenous leukemia
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Acute myelogenous leukemia
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
In CLL, the blood contains large numbers of small round lymphocytes with scant cytoplasm (fragile). Some of these cells are usually disrupted in the process of making smears, producing so-called smudge cells
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia