Flow cytometric immunophenotyping of bone marrow core biopsies - Report of8 patients with previously undiagnosed hematologic malignancy and failed bone marrow aspiration

Objective. - To report a method for flow cytometric immunophenotyping (FCI) bone marrow (BM) core biopsies in patients with hematologic malignancies o f the BM who present with a failed BM aspiration ("dry tap"). Design and Setting. - Core biopsy specimens of BM were obtained from 8 pati ents who presented with previously undiagnosed hematologic malignancies ari sing in (7 cases) or secondarily involving (1 case) the BM and a dry tap. S uspensions of the BM core biopsy specimens were prepared and analyzed by FC I methods. Data Extraction and Data Synthesis. - The FCI data were analyzed in conjunc tion with cytomorphologic, histologic, immunohistochemical, and cytogenetic findings in all cases to determine a final diagnosis. Conclusions. - The prepared BM core suspensions were viable and allowed for a complete immunophenotype profile by FCI in all cases, resulting in a cle ar definition of the cell of origin of the hematologic malignancy. Because of lack of preservation of architectural features and the potential for art ifactual alterations of the relative frequency of abnormal cells, the FCI d ata must always be correlated with histologic sections of the BM biopsy.