Hematology diagnosis cases on Saturn Dx let you practise reasoning about anemia, bleeding, clotting, abnormal blood counts and blood cancers. This free blood disorders diagnosis game offers 125 clinical cases, revealed one clue at a time.
How our hematology diagnosis cases work
Pick a difficulty (Easy, Medium or Hard) and start a case. You see the patient presentation first. Type your diagnosis, and if it is wrong the next hint unlocks: examination findings, then laboratory results, then imaging or other investigations. The fewer hints you need, the more points you earn, and at the end you read a short explanation of why the diagnosis fits.
Why practise hematology diagnosis cases?
Blood disease is diagnosed largely from a small set of results: the blood count, the blood film, clotting tests and a few specialised investigations. The key skill is reading these numbers in the context of the patient, for example whether an anemia is small-celled, normal-celled or large-celled. These cases build that habit and show how history and examination guide which tests matter.
What you learn from each case
Every one of these hematology diagnosis cases ends with the same three things: the correct diagnosis, a short explanation of the reasoning, and the full list of clues so you can see where your thinking went right or wrong. Over time you start to recognise typical patterns in hematology medicine, you remember the key investigations for each condition, and you become faster at ruling out the dangerous causes first. Use the difficulty setting to begin with classic presentations and then move on to harder, more subtle cases.
Topics in the hematology diagnosis game
This area of medicine covers presentations such as:
- iron deficiency and other anemias
- hemolytic anemia
- sickle cell disease and thalassemia
- bleeding disorders such as hemophilia and von Willebrand disease
- thrombocytopenia
- acute and chronic leukemia
- lymphoma and multiple myeloma
- venous thromboembolism and thrombophilia
How to approach a hematology case
Ask whether the problem affects red cells, white cells, platelets or clotting. Look at the cell size and the other counts when they appear. Then consider the cause: too little production, too much destruction, loss from the body or a problem in the bone marrow. Fever, bruising, bone pain and enlarged lymph nodes each tilt the answer in a different direction.
- Write down two or three possible diagnoses before you type an answer.
- Use every hint to rule something in or out, not only to confirm your first idea.
- Read the explanation after each case, even when you were right.
Trusted resources to read next
After a case, deepen your understanding with American Society of Hematology for patient and professional resources on blood disease, and MedlinePlus blood disorders for plain-language summaries of blood conditions.
Keep studying with Saturn Medic
Test yourself with the Saturn Medic Question Bank, revise key facts with our medical flashcards, or return to the medical diagnosis game home page. You can also practise another system:
- Cardiovascular diagnosis cases
- Respiratory diagnosis cases
- Gastrointestinal diagnosis cases
- Endocrinology diagnosis cases
- Renal System diagnosis cases
- Infectious System diagnosis cases
Hematology diagnosis game FAQ
Are these hematology diagnosis cases free?
Yes. Every hematology case on Saturn Dx is free to play, and there is no limit on how many you can try. There are currently 125 hematology cases.
How many hints do I get in a hematology case?
Each case has between four and six clues. You start with the history, and every wrong answer unlocks the next hint, such as examination findings, laboratory results or imaging.
Are the hematology cases real patients?
No. They are original teaching scenarios written to match standard textbook presentations. Our team reviews each case before it goes live, and no real patient records are used.
All 125 hematology cases
- Hematology case #113 - A 6-year-old boy has a hot, swollen and very painful right knee.
- Hematology case #114 - A 52-year-old man has been tired with weight loss and night sweats for 3 months.
- Hematology case #115 - A 68-year-old man has had worsening back pain for 4 months.
- Hematology case #161 - A 63-year-old man has felt tired and breathless on climbing stairs for 4 months.
- Hematology case #162 - A 66-year-old woman has had 6 months of tiredness, breathlessness and a sore mouth, with tingling in both feet.
- Hematology case #163 - A 24-year-old man has had a painless lump on the left side of his neck for 6 weeks.
- Hematology case #164 - A 14-year-old boy has sudden severe pain in his thighs and arms and a mild fever after a cold, wet football match.
- Hematology case #165 - A 58-year-old man has had 3 weeks of increasing tiredness, a sore throat that has not cleared with antibiotics and easy bruising.
- Hematology case #166 - A 71-year-old man has had painless lumps in his neck and tiredness for 3 months.
- Hematology case #167 - A 56-year-old man has had headaches, dizziness and itching for 3 months.
- Hematology case #168 - A 44-year-old woman has had 2 weeks of tiredness and breathlessness, and her friends say her eyes look yellow.
- Hematology case #169 - A 32-year-old woman has had 3 days of fever, headache and feeling very unwell, and her family say she has been confused.
- Hematology case #170 - A 74-year-old man has had 4 months of tiredness and notices his fingers, toes and ears turn blue and painful in cold weather.
- Hematology case #239 - An 8-month-old girl from a family from the eastern Mediterranean region is pale, irritable and feeding poorly. She was well in the first…
- Hematology case #240 - A 6-year-old boy from southern Iraq becomes pale, tired and jaundiced 2 days after a family meal that included freshly cooked broad beans.
- Hematology case #241 - A 9-year-old boy has had mild yellowing of the eyes on and off since infancy and is occasionally tired. His father had his spleen removed…
- Hematology case #242 - A 28-year-old woman has had easy bruising, bleeding from her gums and a nosebleed for 10 days. Her periods were unusually heavy last month.
- Hematology case #243 - A 55-year-old man is being treated in intensive care for severe sepsis from faecal peritonitis after a bowel perforation.
- Hematology case #244 - A 22-year-old man has felt increasingly tired for 2 months, with bruising on his shins and recurrent mouth ulcers. He worked in a paint…
- Hematology case #245 - A 64-year-old man has lost 7 kg over 6 months and has drenching night sweats and fatigue. He has a dragging discomfort in the left upper…
- Hematology case #246 - A 58-year-old woman has had episodes of burning pain and purple discoloration of her fingertips. She also has headaches and had a brief…
- Hematology case #247 - A 26-year-old woman has had heavy periods since menarche and frequent nosebleeds. She bled for a long time after a molar extraction.
- Hematology case #248 - A 61-year-old man noticed a lump in his right armpit that has doubled in size over 6 weeks. He has had fever, drenching night sweats and a…
- Hematology case #249 - A 32-year-old woman has repeated episodes of passing dark red-brown urine, especially first thing in the morning. She also feels tired and…
- Hematology case #250 - A 52-year-old man has had tiredness and repeated chest and skin infections for 8 months. He has no night sweats and has not lost much…
- Hematology case #374 - A 58-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis for 15 years has become tired and pale over 6 months. She has no bleeding and eats a normal…
- Hematology case #375 - A 36-year-old woman has felt tired and breathless for 4 months and has a sore mouth. She takes methotrexate for psoriasis and has an…
- Hematology case #376 - A 29-year-old man who has followed a strict vegan diet without supplements for 8 years has had tiredness, tingling in his feet and a sore…
- Hematology case #377 - A 4-year-old boy has been pale, irritable and tired for 3 weeks with leg pain that makes him limp. He has had a fever and several bruises.
- Hematology case #378 - A 54-year-old man received chemotherapy for acute leukaemia 10 days ago. He now has fever, rigors and feels very unwell.
- Hematology case #379 - A 48-year-old woman developed pain and swelling in her left calf 4 days after a 9-hour flight. She takes an oestrogen-containing…
- Hematology case #380 - A 41-year-old man has had frequent nosebleeds since childhood and now has fatigue. His father and sister also had recurrent nosebleeds.
- Hematology case #381 - A 66-year-old woman receiving a red cell transfusion after surgery becomes restless and flushed 10 minutes into the first unit. She…
- Hematology case #382 - A 6-year-old boy has recurrent swollen painful knees and elbows after minor knocks. His maternal uncle had 'bleeding joints' and died after…
- Hematology case #383 - A 68-year-old man who lives alone and eats mainly tea, bread and tinned meat has had bleeding gums, easy bruising and painful legs for 2…
- Hematology case #384 - A 62-year-old woman has had painless neck swellings for 3 years that wax and wane. She has no fever, but has noticed occasional drenching…
- Hematology case #385 - A 32-year-old woman has had three first-trimester miscarriages and, last year, a deep vein thrombosis in her left leg. She has no family…
- Hematology case #386 - A 26-year-old woman developed a left leg deep vein thrombosis 3 weeks after starting an oestrogen-containing contraceptive. Her mother had…
- Hematology case #387 - A 55-year-old man had a proximal deep vein thrombosis in his right leg 2 years ago. Since then the leg has been heavy and swollen at the…
- Hematology case #388 - A 63-year-old man with a bile duct obstruction from a pancreatic tumour has been jaundiced for 5 weeks. He now has bruising, nosebleeds and…
- Hematology case #389 - A 34-year-old man had a splenectomy after a road accident 6 years ago. He did not take any antibiotics or attend follow-up. He now has a…
- Hematology case #390 - A 9-year-old boy known to have a mild chronic anaemia and gallstones has been pale, listless and breathless for 4 days after a flu-like…
- Hematology case #391 - A 41-year-old man had an allogeneic stem cell transplant for acute leukaemia 5 weeks ago. He now has a widespread rash, watery diarrhoea…
- Hematology case #392 - A 76-year-old man has had increasing tiredness and breathlessness for a year with two chest infections. He had radiotherapy for prostate…
- Hematology case #393 - A 31-year-old woman has had 10 days of tiredness, easy bruising and bleeding gums. This morning she had a nosebleed that did not stop and a…
- Hematology case #394 - A 69-year-old man with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia has been monitored for 8 years without treatment. In 3 weeks he has developed fever…
- Hematology case #395 - A 71-year-old man has had 3 months of left upper abdominal discomfort, early satiety and weight loss, with rapid onset of fatigue.
- Hematology case #396 - A 58-year-old man with diabetic kidney failure who is starting to have nausea and itching has had black stools and bruising on minor…
- Hematology case #397 - A 7-year-old girl born to consanguineous parents has had recurrent severe nosebleeds, gum bleeding and heavy bruising since infancy. Her…
- Hematology case #398 - A 24-year-old man from a coastal village in Papua New Guinea is found to have an abnormal blood film at a medical examination. He is…
- Hematology case #632 - A 24-year-old man of West African descent is found to have a positive sickling screening test before a general anaesthetic. He has never…
- Hematology case #633 - A 7-year-old girl of Nigerian descent has developed painful swollen hands and feet after a cold, windy swimming trip. She is feverish and…
- Hematology case #634 - A 19-year-old man with sickle-cell disease was admitted two days ago with severe thigh pain. He now has chest pain, cough and…
- Hematology case #635 - A 3-year-old boy known to have sickle-cell disease is brought in pale, lethargic and crying with sudden abdominal pain and swelling. He had…
- Hematology case #636 - A 28-year-old woman of Mediterranean descent has been treated with iron tablets for 'anaemia' for 6 months without improvement. She feels…
- Hematology case #637 - A 74-year-old man has a routine blood test before cataract surgery and is told his total protein is high. He feels well with no bone pain…
- Hematology case #638 - A 52-year-old woman receiving a unit of red cells for anaemia develops shivering and feels hot 40 minutes into the transfusion. She has had…
- Hematology case #639 - A 78-year-old man on warfarin for atrial fibrillation started a course of antibiotics for a chest infection 5 days ago and has been eating…
- Hematology case #640 - A 22-year-old soldier passed dark red-brown urine after a 30 km route march. He feels well, with no pain on passing urine, fever or back…
- Hematology case #641 - A 61-year-old man who had a mechanical aortic valve replacement 5 years ago has gradual breathlessness, tiredness and dark urine. He is on…
- Hematology case #642 - A newborn girl develops jaundice within 12 hours of birth. Her mother, a 29-year-old, has blood group O RhD negative; this is her second…
- Hematology case #643 - A 33-year-old woman started carbimazole for Graves disease 5 weeks ago. She now has a severe sore throat, mouth ulcers, fever and rigors.
- Hematology case #644 - A 16-year-old boy with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and a white cell count of 280 x10^9/L begins induction chemotherapy…
- Hematology case #645 - A 45-year-old woman with IgA deficiency is receiving a unit of red cells for postpartum anaemia. Within 10 minutes she develops wheezing…
- Hematology case #646 - A 58-year-old man with alcohol-related cirrhosis has had gradual tiredness and easy bruising. He has had no recent bleeding.
- Hematology case #647 - A 9-year-old boy with HbSS disease suddenly develops weakness of the right arm and leg and difficulty speaking. He had not been on any…
- Hematology case #648 - A 26-year-old woman of Southeast Asian descent has had chronic mild anaemia since childhood and episodes of yellow eyes with infections…
- Hematology case #649 - A 16-year-old boy with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassaemia has received a unit of blood every 3-4 weeks since infancy. He now has…
- Hematology case #650 - A 63-year-old man with cirrhosis from hepatitis C has had nosebleeds and bruising for 2 weeks and now vomits a cupful of fresh blood. He…
- Hematology case #651 - A 28-year-old woman at 32 weeks of her first pregnancy has a routine blood count showing a low platelet count. She has no bruising or…
- Hematology case #652 - A 69-year-old man has had 4 months of tiredness, recurrent nosebleeds and morning headaches. He says his vision seems blurred at times.
- Hematology case #653 - A 58-year-old man has had 6 weeks of persistent pain in the mid-back that is worse at night. He has no weight loss, infections or fever.
- Hematology case #654 - A 3-year-old boy has had a resistant nappy-area rash, ear discharge and a painful swelling over the skull for 2 months. He is also drinking…
- Hematology case #655 - A 66-year-old woman had a hip replacement 7 days ago and has received heparin injections since. She now has pain and swelling in her left…
- Hematology case #656 - A 27-year-old woman has a deep vein thrombosis in the leg shortly after starting the combined contraceptive pill. Her father and a paternal…
- Hematology case #657 - A 14-year-old boy of Northern European descent has had lifelong mild anaemia, intermittent jaundice and gallstones. Both parents are…
- Hematology case #658 - A 74-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis develops spontaneous large bruises and a painful swollen thigh over 3 weeks. She has never…
- Hematology case #659 - An 11-year-old girl has had frequent nosebleeds, easy bruising and heavy gum bleeding since early childhood. Her parents are unaffected but…
- Hematology case #660 - A 60-year-old man receiving fresh frozen plasma for warfarin-related bleeding becomes suddenly breathless 90 minutes into the infusion.
- Hematology case #661 - A 9-year-old boy with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis develops persistent high fevers, headache and drowsiness despite stable…
- Hematology case #662 - A 45-year-old man has had weight loss, an itchy rash, cough and increasing breathlessness over 6 months. He has not travelled and has no…
- Hematology case #663 - An 8-year-old boy with short stature has had easy bruising and recurrent infections for 3 months. He was born with thumb abnormalities and…
- Hematology case #664 - A 19-year-old man has had lifelong mild anaemia, tiredness and recently noticed his skin has a grey-bronze tinge. An uncle on his mother's…
- Hematology case #665 - A 66-year-old man has had 5 months of tiredness, abdominal fullness and enlarging neck glands. He has no fever or weight loss.
- Hematology case #666 - A 38-year-old woman with leukaemia receives a platelet transfusion and within 20 minutes develops rigors and shivering. She feels very…
- Hematology case #667 - A 31-year-old woman has a pulmonary embolism during her second pregnancy. Her mother had a leg clot at 42 and her brother had one after a…
- Hematology case #668 - A 34-year-old man is admitted after suffering flame burns to 35% of his body surface area. On day 2 his urine becomes dark and he looks…
- Hematology case #669 - A 55-year-old multiparous woman develops widespread bruising and gum bleeding 8 days after a red cell transfusion given for postoperative…
- Hematology case #670 - A 4-year-old boy had a viral upper respiratory infection 1 week ago. He now plays outside in cold weather and passes dark urine, with…
- Hematology case #671 - A term baby boy, the first child of a healthy 30-year-old woman, is noted to have scattered petechiae on the first day of life. The…
- Hematology case #672 - A 26-year-old woman from Southeast Asia has an ultrasound at 28 weeks showing a very large placenta and fetal swelling. Both she and her…
- Hematology case #673 - A 10-month-old girl has had 2 weeks of persistent fever, irritability and poor feeding, unresponsive to antibiotics. An older brother died…
- Hematology case #674 - A 62-year-old man with Hodgkin lymphoma on chemotherapy receives a blood transfusion. Twelve days later he develops fever, a diffuse rash…
- Hematology case #675 - A 19-year-old man has been told since childhood that he has 'low platelets', and has been treated several times for presumed immune…
- Hematology case #676 - A 5-day-old baby girl develops bruises and blood in the stools. She was born at term with shortened forearms; the pregnancy was…
- Hematology case #677 - A 17-year-old Mediterranean boy has had lifelong mild jaundice and anaemia with splenomegaly. His parents are first cousins.
- Hematology case #678 - A 16-year-old girl has had heavy periods, easy bruising and prolonged bleeding after a tonsillectomy. Her platelet count has always been…
- Hematology case #679 - A 9-month-old boy has had recurrent ear infections, an itchy rash and bloody diarrhoea since birth. A maternal uncle died young from…
- Hematology case #680 - A 31-year-old primigravida at 34 weeks has 2 days of right upper abdominal pain, nausea and malaise. She has noticed generalised bruising.
- Hematology case #681 - A 64-year-old woman who takes quinine tablets for night cramps develops nosebleeds and a widespread purpuric rash over two days. She has no…
- Hematology case #880 - A 28-year-old woman has a painful swollen left calf three days after a long-haul flight. Her father had a clot in his leg at 35.
- Hematology case #881 - A 22-year-old student has had numb, tingling feet and clumsy hands for six weeks, with an unsteady gait. He uses small silver canisters of…
- Hematology case #882 - A 58-year-old man has felt increasingly tired and breathless over six months. He had a total gastrectomy for stomach cancer four years ago…
- Hematology case #883 - A 45-year-old man from northern Europe who enjoys eating raw freshwater fish has been tired and sore-tongued for months, with mild…
- Hematology case #884 - A 36-year-old man who strips old paint from houses without protection has had colicky abdominal pain, constipation and tiredness for two…
- Hematology case #885 - A 19-year-old man of West African origin with known sickle-cell disorder has had a painful erection lasting 6 hours that did not settle…
- Hematology case #886 - A 24-year-old woman of West African descent has had a few painful bone crises but is generally well. She is now pregnant and reports…
- Hematology case #887 - A 52-year-old woman is found to have a high platelet count on routine bloods. She has had two months of cough, weight loss and fever and is…
- Hematology case #888 - A 60-year-old man who has smoked for 40 years has had a ruddy complexion, morning headaches and daytime sleepiness. He is breathless on…
- Hematology case #889 - A 26-year-old woman who takes the combined oral contraceptive and recently gave birth has had a progressively severe headache for four…
- Hematology case #890 - A 7-year-old boy from sub-Saharan Africa has a rapidly enlarging painless swelling of the jaw over three weeks, with night sweats.
- Hematology case #891 - A 63-year-old man has had rapidly growing neck lumps, drenching sweats and weight loss over six weeks.
- Hematology case #892 - A 48-year-old man born in the Caribbean has had fatigue, a diffuse skin rash and weight loss over two months.
- Hematology case #893 - A 35-year-old man received a kidney transplant 18 months ago and takes tacrolimus and mycophenolate. He has had fever, weight loss and a…
- Hematology case #894 - A 41-year-old man with HIV infection, not on antiretrovirals, has had breathlessness and abdominal swelling for three weeks.
- Hematology case #895 - A 29-year-old man with refractory lymphoma develops a fever of 39.5 °C 36 hours after receiving cell therapy with engineered T cells.
- Hematology case #896 - A 34-year-old Ashkenazi Jewish woman bled for several hours after a tooth extraction. She has never had spontaneous joint or muscle bleeds.
- Hematology case #897 - A 3-year-old boy born to first-cousin parents bled from the umbilical stump for days after birth and bruises easily. His maternal aunt, who…
- Hematology case #898 - A 20-year-old woman from Malaysia is found to have mild anaemia on a routine check. She has no symptoms and no family history of haemolysis…
- Hematology case #899 - A 38-year-old man with advanced HIV infection has had headache, personality change and a left-sided weakness for two weeks.
- Hematology case #900 - A 55-year-old man has had itchy, scaly red patches on his buttocks and trunk for eight years, diagnosed as eczema and unresponsive to…
- Hematology case #901 - A 66-year-old man has had fatigue, ankle swelling, tingling hands and breathlessness for a year. He has lost weight.
- Hematology case #902 - A 52-year-old woman with a 25-year history of poorly controlled rheumatoid arthritis has developed swollen legs and frothy urine over three…
- Hematology case #903 - A 44-year-old man whose father died at 55 of heart failure has had burning feet, early satiety and alternating diarrhoea and constipation…
- Hematology case #904 - A 58-year-old man who has had haemodialysis for 12 years reports numb, tingling fingers worse at night, and shoulder and hip pain.