Hematologi

Hematologi, or hematology, is the branch of medicine dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases of the blood and blood-forming tissues. It covers components of blood: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, plasma, and the processes they participate in, including oxygen transport, immune defense, coagulation, and storage. Hematology specialists work with laboratory medicine to interpret blood tests, such as the complete blood count (CBC), smear review, coagulation studies, and specialized assays.

Common conditions include anemia (iron deficiency, megaloblastic, aplastic), thrombocytopenia, clotting disorders such as hemophilia and von Willebrand disease, and a wide range of malignant and benign disorders of the blood and bone marrow. Diagnosis often involves blood tests, bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, flow cytometry, cytogenetics, molecular testing, and imaging as needed. Treatment can include iron supplementation, vitamin B12 or folate, transfusion therapy, anticoagulation, chemotherapy, targeted therapies, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and supportive care. Hematology overlaps with oncology in hematologic malignancies and with transfusion medicine in blood product management.

Research domains include hematopoiesis, the biology of blood cell development; inherited anemias and metabolic blood disorders; blood cancers; gene therapy and cellular therapies. Education and practice vary by country, but hematologists typically complete medical training plus fellowship in hematology. The field aims to improve outcomes through early diagnosis, precise classification of disorders, and individualized treatment plans.