Blood Banking Flashcards
6 cards from real Medical Technologist Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Blood Banking flashcards as text
Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) is MOST commonly caused by antibody to which antigen?
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.
What is the purpose of the antibody screen (indirect antiglobulin test) before transfusion?
Answer: Detect unexpected alloantibodies in patient serum
The antibody screen tests patient serum against commercially prepared RBCs to detect clinically significant alloantibodies before transfusion.
Irradiation of blood products is performed primarily to prevent which transfusion complication?
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).
Platelets are stored at which temperature with continuous agitation?
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.
A positive crossmatch occurs when donor red cells are incompatible with which patient component?
Answer: Patient serum or plasma
The major crossmatch tests donor RBCs against recipient serum/plasma to detect antibodies that could destroy transfused cells.
Which transfusion reaction presents with fever, flank pain, hemoglobinuria, and hypotension within minutes of starting transfusion?
Answer: Acute hemolytic transfusion reaction
Acute hemolytic transfusion reaction from ABO incompatibility causes complement-mediated intravascular hemolysis with characteristic hemoglobinuria and shock.