Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
Database-guided Flow-cytometry for Evaluation of Bone Marrow Myeloid Cell Maturation
Published on: November 3, 2018
[Bone marrow infiltration in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: comparison between flow cytometry and bone marrow
Giovanni Carulli1, Silvia Canigiani, Maila Volpini
1Divisione di Ematologia, Dipartimento di Oncologia, dei Trapianti e delle Nuove Tecnologie in Medicina, Università, Ospedale S. Chiara, Pisa. giovanni_carulli@virgilio.it
Insights
Flow cytometry and bone marrow biopsy accurately detect lymphoma infiltration in most cases. For minimal residual disease, advanced PCR methods improve diagnostic precision for non-Hodgkin
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Oncology
- Immunology
Background:
- Bone marrow infiltration is a critical prognostic factor in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs).
- Accurate staging and monitoring of minimal residual disease are essential for effective NHL treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of flow cytometry (FC) and bone marrow biopsy (BMB) in detecting bone marrow infiltration in NHL patients.
- To evaluate the utility of PCR-based methods for precise diagnosis in cases with discordant or non-evaluable FC results.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of FC and BMB in 114 NHL patients (51 at diagnosis, 63 post-therapy).
- Evaluation of specific immunophenotypic markers (e.g., k/l ratio) by FC.
- Application of PCR for IgH rearrangement and bcl-1 gene expression in discordant/non-evaluable samples.
Main Results:
- FC and BMB showed high concordance (89.5%) in detecting bone marrow infiltration.
- Discordant results (7.9%) and FC-non-evaluable cases (2.6%) required further investigation.
- PCR methods demonstrated higher precision in identifying minimal residual disease in challenging cases.
Conclusions:
- FC and BMB are reliable methods for assessing bone marrow infiltration in NHL.
- A comprehensive diagnostic approach, including PCR, is crucial for accurate assessment, especially for minimal residual disease.
- Improved diagnostic strategies enhance precision in NHL management.
Abstract:
A comparison of flow cytometry (FC) and bone marrow biopsy (BMB) to evaluate bone marrow infiltration was made in 114 patients suffering from B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs; 51 at diagnosis, 63 during post-therapy follow-up). The following parameters were indicative of bone marrow infiltration: altered surface k/l ratio; specific immunophenotypic pattern in particular NHLs (CLL, mantle cell lymphoma, hairy cell leukemia). FC and BMB agreed in 89.5% of cases (i.e. both showed 48 positive and 54 negative cases). In discordant cases (7.9%) and in cases not evaluable by FC (2.6%) IgH rearrangement and bcl-1 gene expression, both evaluated by PCR methods, were used to detect bone marrow infiltration with higher precision. These results show that a more complex analysis of bone marrow is needed to diagnose bone marrow infiltration, particularly in samples with minimal residual disease.
