Sickle Cell Anemia

How is the disease diagnosed?

The disease is diagnosed through a combination of medical history, physical examination, and laboratory testing. A vital laboratory test is the peripheral blood smear. This test will show the characteristic sickle shape of some red blood cells. There is usually a very low red blood cell count. This is due to the breakdown of the red blood cells. White blood cells counts are often higher than normal. Liver function tests may be abnormal. A specialized test called hemoglobin electrophoresis will confirm the diagnosis. X-rays may show abnormal changes in bone, especially of the spine and hip.