Congenital leukemia--organ involvement in six autopsy cases

Six cases of congenital leukemia were encountered in pediatric autopsies carried out over a period of 7 years. The postmortem findings of these cases were analysed and presented along with antemortem peripheral and bone marrow smear. All the cases were diagnosed as acute myeloid leukemia. Gross changes were observed in lungs, liver, spleen and kidneys. Histological abnormalities were detected in these organs as well as the heart, pancreas and intestine. Lymph node follicles were well preserved in all. The thymus showed a normal lobular pattern with interstitial infiltrate. Bone marrow showed myeloid blast cells with depletion of the erythroid and megakaryocytic cells.