Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 14, 2026
Database-guided Flow-cytometry for Evaluation of Bone Marrow Myeloid Cell Maturation
Published on: November 3, 2018
Idiopathic cytopenia of undetermined significance (ICUS) versus low risk MDS: the diagnostic interface
Friedrich Wimazal1, Christa Fonatsch, Renate Thalhammer
1Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Hematology & Hemostaseology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Abstract:
It may sometimes be difficult to diagnose low risk MDS in patients with mild cytopenia. We report on 10 patients with mild to marked, unexplained cytopenia without definitive signs of a myeloid neoplasm. In two patients, a karyotype-abnormality (trisomy 14; monosomy 7) was detected in a small subset of bone marrow cells. Progression to overt MDS was seen in two patients including the one with monosomy 7. In the remaining cases, no MDS developed in a follow-up of at least 6 months. The phrase "idiopathic cytopenia of undetermined significance (ICUS)", as also suggested by Mufti and co-workers, is proposed and long term follow-up is recommended to assess the evolution.
