Comparative analysis of high-resolution chromosome techniques for leukemic bone marrows.

High-resolution direct and synchronization culture techniques for chromosome analysis of leukemic bone marrow cells can now be utilized. In this article, three different techniques are quantitatively compared for their consistency in successful cytogenetic analysis, reliability in the detection of clones with chromosomal abnormalities, and usefulness for the precise delineation of break points involved in structural chromosomal rearrangements. Bone marrow samples from 15 consecutive patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) were studied using an improved direct technique, amethopterin cell synchronization with thymidine release, and amethopterin cell synchronization with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) release. The results obtained with the amethopterin cell synchronization technique and thymidine release suggest that it should be the method of choice in the detection of chromosome defects in bone marrow of patients with ANLL.