Splenic rupture in acute megakaryoblastic leukemia.

A 43-year-old man with pancytopenia and circulating blast cells was found to have acute megakaryoblastic leukemia. Bone marrow biopsy disclosed reticulin fibrosis with infiltration of blast cells. Cytogenic study showed 48,XY,+15,+18. The megakaryocytic origin of blast cells was confirmed by platelet peroxidase reaction at ultrastructural level. The spleen which had not been felt on admission increased in size rapidly and ruptured abruptly. This appears to be the first reported case of a splenic rupture associated with acute megakaryoblastic leukemia.