Crescent Shaped Cell

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There are TWO kinds of cells which can be described as crescent shaped – sickle cells OR semilunar bodies. Semilunar bodies are decolourised, sickle cells are not and their causes are different. Ask your vet exactly which type you are looking at on your pet’s blood smear. As sickle cell anemia is hereditary, it is therefore more likely to be semilunar bodies, unless your pet is young & hereditary sickle cell anemia has not yet been diagnosed for some reason.

Crescent shaped cell is also another name for a semilunar body. Semilunar bodies are types of poikilocytes caused by cell trauma. They are decolourised, crescent shaped cells, also called ghost corpuscles/cells or phantom cells. This erythrocyte cell is an “empty” red cell membrane (the external structure or “covering”) that is left complete or intact after hemolysis, but the cell is dead. In some cases of AIHA/IMHA, semilunar bodies/ghost erythrocytes may be seen with intravascular hemolysis.

Crescent shaped cell is another name for a sickle cell. Sickle cells are types of poikilocytes caused by a cell membrane abnormality. They are also called drepanocytes & are sickle or crescent shaped cells. These cells are due to hereditary sickle cell anemia.