How Is Sickle Cell Diagnosed?
- Sickle cell anemia is a disorder in which the body makes C-shaped, or sickle-shaped, red blood cells. The change in shape may not seem serious, but it is the normal disc shape of the red blood cell that allows the cells to smoothly move through the blood vessels. Sickle-shaped cells tend to get caught and clump in the vessels, causing serious blood clots. Due to its seriousness, most hospitals and birthing centers include sickle cell testing as part of their birth procedures to diagnose the disorder early on when it can more easily be treated.
- The first way that sickle cell anemia can be diagnosed is before the child is even born. This method of testing is done by taking a small sample of tissue from the placenta, or a sample of the amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus. These samples can then be taken to a lab and examined for signs of sickle cell using DNA analysis.
- Testing is more commonly done soon after a baby is born. Since blood tests from the new infant are a regular part of birthing procedures in most hospitals, the same blood test can be used to search for signs of sickle cell. If the test comes back positive, a second test will be drawn to verify the first.
- Once a blood sample has been taken, the sample is sent to a lab. Here lab scientists can examine a smear of the blood under the microscope and physically see the shape of the red blood cells. Known as a sickle prep, this procedure is usually done under low oxygen conditions to better facilitate the results.
- Another way that a sickle cell sample may be used for diagnosis is through electrophoresis. Electrophoresis involves using specific electrical charges to separate the hemoglobin in the blood sample. Because each type of hemoglobin has a specific protein, different charges will attract the various types of hemoglobin protein, moving them to one side of the field. This allows lab scientists to separate and discover signs of sickle cell formations within the sample.