Medical Technologist Test Blood Banking 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) is MOST commonly caused by antibody to which antigen?
- ABO antigens
- Kell antigen
- Rh D antigen (Correct answer)
- Duffy antigen
Correct answer: Rh D antigen
Anti-D is the most common cause of severe HDFN; Rh-negative mothers sensitized by Rh-positive fetal RBCs produce IgG anti-D that crosses the placenta.
Question 2: What is the purpose of the antibody screen (indirect antiglobulin test) before transfusion?
- Determine patient's ABO type
- Detect unexpected alloantibodies in patient serum (Correct answer)
- Confirm compatibility by mixing donor and patient cells
- Identify bacterial contamination in blood product
Correct answer: Detect unexpected alloantibodies in patient serum
The antibody screen tests patient serum against commercially prepared RBCs to detect clinically significant alloantibodies before transfusion.
Question 3: Irradiation of blood products is performed primarily to prevent which transfusion complication?
- Bacterial contamination
- Febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reaction
- Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GvHD) (Correct answer)
- Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI)
Correct answer: Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GvHD)
Gamma or X-ray irradiation inactivates donor T lymphocytes, preventing them from engrafting and attacking immunocompromised recipients (TA-GvHD).
Question 4: Platelets are stored at which temperature with continuous agitation?
- 1–6°C
- –18°C or colder
- 20–24°C (Correct answer)
- 37°C
Correct answer: 20–24°C
Platelets must be stored at 20–24°C with continuous gentle agitation to prevent clumping and maintain viability; shelf life is 5–7 days.
Question 5: A positive crossmatch occurs when donor red cells are incompatible with which patient component?
- Donor plasma
- Patient red blood cells
- Patient serum or plasma (Correct answer)
- Patient platelets
Correct answer: Patient serum or plasma
The major crossmatch tests donor RBCs against recipient serum/plasma to detect antibodies that could destroy transfused cells.
Question 6: Which transfusion reaction presents with fever, flank pain, hemoglobinuria, and hypotension within minutes of starting transfusion?
- Febrile non-hemolytic reaction
- Allergic/urticarial reaction
- Acute hemolytic transfusion reaction (Correct answer)
- Transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO)
Correct answer: Acute hemolytic transfusion reaction
Acute hemolytic transfusion reaction from ABO incompatibility causes complement-mediated intravascular hemolysis with characteristic hemoglobinuria and shock.
Medical Technologist Test Blood Banking 2
Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) is MOST commonly caused by antibody to which antigen?