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acanthocyte

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noun acan·tho·cyte \ə-ˈkan(t)-thə-ˌsīt\

Medical Definition of acanthocyte

  1. :  an abnormal red blood cell having several unevenly spaced and variously shaped cytoplasmic projections with blunt tips The presence of acanthocytes implies advanced liver disease and carries a worse prognosis.—Bruce R. Bacon et al., Comprehensive Clinical Hepatology, 2006—called also spur cell

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