[Diagnosis of acute myelogenous leukemia]

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease. The diagnosis is based on the demonstration of immature myeloid cells in Pappenheim stained blood and bone marrow smears. Using the criteria of the French-American-British Cooperative Group, the myeloid leukemias can be divided into six subgroups (FAB classification). Recently, the development of several new techniques has led to a more detailed cell characterization. This review article will discuss the diagnostic procedure in AML.