COMPARATIVE MORPHOMETRIC STUDY OF IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL VERSUS CONVENTIONAL STAINING FOR THE EVALUATION OF MEGAKARYOCYTOPOIESIS IN NORMAL ANDPATHOLOGICAL BONE-MARROW BIOPSIES

Identification of megakaryocytes by immunohistochemistry may be superi or to hematoxylin-eosin (HE) stain method for assessing megakaryocyte size and number in clinical specimens; however, a side-by-side compari son of the two methods has not been reported. In the present study, co mparative morphometry using both methods was performed on marrow biops ies of normal individuals, and of patients with myelodysplastic syndro me, chronic myeloid leukemia and immune thrombocytopenia. Morphometric results in the present study showed that precise megakaryocyte size c an be calculated in normal and pathologic bone marrow sections by usin g HE stain if one employs stereological corrections. In contrast, mega karyocyte numbers can be more precisely detected by immunohistochemist ry than by HE stain, particularly in myelodysplastic syndrome and chro nic myeloid leukemia. Differentiation disturbances and ineffective meg akaryocytopoiesis in myelodysplastic syndrome were demonstrated by imm unomorphometric analyses.