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Elliptocytes, also known as ovalocytes, are abnormally shaped red blood cells that appear oval or elongated, from slightly egg-shaped to rod or pencil forms. They have normal central pallor with the hemoglobin appearing concentrated at the ends of the elongated cells when viewed through a light microscope. The ends of the cells are blunt and not sharp like sickle cells.
Rare elliptocytes (less than 1%) on a peripheral blood smear are a normal finding.
These abnormal red blood cells are seen in higher numbers in the blood films of patients with blood disorders such as:
References
Elliptocyte Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA