The hematologist is an internal medical doctor specialized in hematology, that is the branch of internal medicine that studies the blood in all its components and in all its aspects, including the organs that produce it (hematopoietic organs) and the diseases that can affect it.
SOME DETAILS MORE ABOUT BLOOD COMPONENTS AND HEMOPOIETIC ORGANS
The blood consists of a liquid component, called plasma, and a cellular component. The elements of the cellular component are red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets .
The hematopoietic organs are the bone marrow, the spleen, the lymph nodes and the thymus .
The bone marrow is made up of myeloid tissue and is responsible for the formation of red blood cells and a category of white blood cells known as granulocytes and monocytes.
Spleen, lymph nodes and thymus, on the other hand, are composed of lymphoid tissue and are responsible for giving rise to a particular class of white blood cells: lymphocytes.
WHAT DISEASES DO THE HEMATOLOGIST CURE?
The hematologist is expert in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of leukemias, lymphomas, anemias or hemophilias.
Leukemias and lymphomas are blood neoplasms, anemias are alterations affecting red blood cells, and hemophilias are congenital defects of coagulation.
SUBSERIES OF A HEMATOLOGIST
Modern hematologists can further specialize in various areas of their discipline and become:
- Transfusion hematologists. They are the classic hematologists of transfusion centers.
- Onco-hematology. They are experts in treating blood cancer.
- Immunohaematologists. They mainly deal with white blood cells in the blood.
