If you are a whole-blood donor, you know that blood transfusions save lives. But do you how important platelet transfusions are? Do you know about apheresis (a-fur-ee-sis)? Take this platelet I.Q. quiz! Be sure to check the answers and explanations to see how well you do.

1. When you donate a unit of blood, it is usually split into several parts — red blood cells, platelets, plasma — to be given to different patients.

True
False

2. Platelets make up the part of your blood that carries oxygen.

True
False

3. Apheresis is the method used to collect only one part of blood from a donor.

True
False

4. One platelet donation by apheresis can yield up to six times the amount of platelets found in one whole-blood donation.

True
False

5. You cannot get AIDS or any other disease from donating platelets.

True
False

6. Platelet transfusions are life-saving therapy for patients undergoing bone-marrow transplants, chemotherapy treatment for cancer, and open heart surgery.

True
False

7. Donated platelets can be used years later.

True
False

8. Platelet donors must wait six months before donating again.

True
False

9. Donating platelets takes longer than donating whole blood.

True
False

10. A bone-marrow transplant patient may need up to 200 platelet transfusions.

True
False