What term describes the change in the shape of erythrocytes on a Wright's-stained peripheral blood smear?

The term that refers to the variability in the shape of erythrocytes, as observed on a Wright's-stained peripheral blood smear, is poikilocytosis. This phenomenon indicates that the erythrocytes are not uniform in form, which can be indicative of various underlying health conditions or abnormalities affecting red blood cell morphology. Recognizing poikilocytosis is important in hematology because it can provide insights into diseases such as anemia, thalassemia, or other hematologic disorders where the shape of red blood cells may be altered due to different etiologies.

In contrast, anisocytosis describes a variation in the size of red blood cells, hypochromia pertains to a decreased hemoglobin content which results in paler cells, and polychromasia refers to the presence of red blood cells that exhibit varying colors due to different developmental stages. Each of these terms pertains to distinct features of erythrocytes, making it essential to use the correct terminology to accurately describe the findings in a blood smear.