Role Of Flow Cytometry in Diagnosing Acute Leukemia

Abstract

Abstract

Background& Objective: Acute leukemia is a malignant neoplasm that affects the myeloid  or lymphatic cells. These cells lose their ability to mature and differentiate, grow uncontrollably and become susceptible to other organs. The diagnosis and classification of acute leukrmia depends on the study of cell morphology and cell chemistry. The diagnostic methods have developed especially in the field of molecular biology and immunophenotyping. The study aimed to evaluate and compare the results of immunophenotyping in the diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia and acute lymphocytic leukemia and comparing them with the results of the diagnosis using conventional methods based on the study of the shape of the cells (in the peripheral blood smear and bone marrow removal) and the conduct of the chemical coloring (SBB black coloration and PAS).

 Research materials & methods: The study was conducted retrospectively in theAL- Mouwasat University Hospital on 104 patients, between the ages of 14 - 75 between 2013 and 2016. Patients were diagnosed based on clinical examination, cell shape study, Prior to receiving treatment, the results of the diagnosis were compared with the adoption of immunophenotyping with conventional diagnostic results

 RESULTS: 84 cases (83%) were diagnosed based on traditional diagnostic methods (cell pattern study and sham coloring). 55 cases of of acute myeloid leukemia (65.47%), 29 cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia (34.52%), while the type of  acute leukemia was not determined accurately  in 18 cases (17%). The subtype was identified in 30 cases of acute myeloid leukemia (54.54%) and 21 cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia (72.41%).In contrst  , immunophenotyping confirmed the diagnosis and identification of  acute leukemia in 98 cases (95% of cases). 67 acute myeloid leukemia cases were identified with their subtypes and 31 cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia with their subtypes

  CONCLUSION: All methods should be used to help determine the correct diagnosis of acute leukemia and determine its pattern and subtype as it is of great importance in the identification of the alarm and the development of the treatment plan. The diagnosis of acute leukemia in conventional methods is useful but not sufficient, especially immunophenotyping l, the study showed that it is an important and useful diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of acute leukemia especiallyin the determination of subgroup.