"Smudge cells" in the peripheral smear are characteristic of:: (A) Chronic myelogenous leukemia, (B) Chronic lymphocytic leukemia, (C) Acute myelogenous leukemia, (D) Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Answer is B. In CLL, the blood contains large numbers of small round lymphocytes with scant cytoplasm (fragile). Some of these cells are usually disrupted in the process of making smears, producing so-called smudge cells