Decoding the immunophenotype ‒ New perspectives in understanding celiac disease

An increase in duodenal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) is a characteristic finding in coeliac enteropathy. Flow cytometry analysis of this compartment, known as the 'duodenal IEL lymphogram', is a quick and simple technique that allows us to identify with high diagnostic accuracy the phenotype and distribution of the IEL subpopulations that characterise, in an almost pathognomonic way, the underlying celiac process. We contribute our experience as a pioneering group in the clinical implementation of this technique, adding certain reflections with the aim of harmonising minor discrepancies between laboratories when interpreting the parameters analysed.