Polychromasia refers to red cells with varying colours. This is normally used to described a film in which there are normal pink (salmon) coloured red cells and purplish-blue coloured immature red cells (reticulocytes). This is due to the residual RNA within the reticulocytes being stained.

Polychromasia can be seen in:

• Premature red cell destruction (haemolysis / bleeding)
• Anaemia.
• Hypoxia.
• Bone marrow infiltration.
• Haemoglobinopathies and inherited membrane disorders.

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Image from personal photography.