Megakaryocyte remnants

Appearance:

Megakaryocyte remnants consist mainly of bare nuclei with coarse chromatin and small, pale residual cytoplasm (platelets). In the peripheral blood, their count is indicated in reference to 100 leukocytes.

Counting:

In peripheral blood, the megakaryocyte remnants count is calculated relative to 100 leukocytes. If more than 5 megakaryocyte remnants per 100 leukocytes are found, the white blood count must be corrected (see correction for normoblasts) since the they are counted for the total blood cell count by automated cell counters.

Occurrence:
Myeloproliferative neoplasms and myelodysplastic syndromes.