Flow cytometric characterization of acute myeloid leukemia. Part 1. Significance of light scattering properties.

Acute leukemias are classified using the morphological and cytochemical criteria set forward by the French, American and British (FAB) group. Immunophenotyping is helpful for the differential diagnosis but is secondary to the morphological criteria. Immunophenotyping performed by flow cytometry, however, can yield valuable information on cell morphology in addition to cell surface antigen expression. To provide a basis of a combined evaluation of both morphology, i.e. light scattering, and immunophenotype by flow cytometry we have compared the light scattering profiles of 70 patients newly diagnosed with acute leukemia with normal bone marrow and related the findings to the FAB classification. Three main light scattering profiles were observed in the bone marrow aspirates of the 70 patients (A1,2; B1,2,3; C1,2,3,4). A1,2, characterized by a predominant cell cluster with low forward and orthogonal light scattering, contained only and all patients diagnosed as acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute undifferentiated leukemia, and acute non-lymphocytic leukemia M6 and M1. B1,2,3 is characterized by a predominant cell cluster with large forward and low to high orthogonal light scattering. Category B1 contained the majority of patients classified as M5; the M3 leukemias were categorized as B2. C1,2,3,4 is characterized by a predominant cell cluster with low forward and orthogonal light scattering that branches towards regions with larger light scattering. Categories C1 and C2 contained the majority of the patients classified as M2. Category C3 was specific for M4 and M4eo leukemias. The patients diagnosed as M4 were heterogeneous and equally distributed over the B and C categories. The clear relationship found between the FAB classification and classification by the light scattering profile of the acute leukemias enhances the importance of the flow cytometric classification of leukemias. In contrast with light microscopy, flow cytometry can now provide the hematologist with an objective technique to classify leukemias by the simultaneous assessment of cell surface antigen expression and cell morphology, i.e. light scattering.