Platelet Satellitism.

These images show many neutrophils with aggregating platelets attached in a 72-year-old woman with liposarcoma. Of note, this finding was only noted for neutrophils, not for any other cells of leukocytic lineage (Picture). “Platelet satellitism”, the aggregation of platelets around neutrophils, is a rare artificial phenomenon observed in pseudothrombocytopenia films treated with ethylendiamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA). This phenomenon is an uncommon cause of EDTA-related pseudothrombocytopenia, although the automated platelet counts in our case was near the lower end of the normal range. This unique phenomenon is considered a bridge formation between platelets and FcγRIII on neutrophils, which is mediated by IgG autoantibodies directed against the EDTA-induced epitope of platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (1). It has been reported in cases of vasculitis, lymphomas and chronic liver disease, although the causal association remains unclear. To our knowledge, this is the first case of platelet satellitism observed in a patient with liposarcoma.

Picture.

The authors state that they have no Conflict of Interest (COI).