[Flow cytometry in hematological malignancy: steps and interpretation]

ABSTRACT

Flow cytometry is a cell analysis technique, after labelling with fluorochromes. It has become a useful tool for analyzing the phenotype of hematopoietic and immune system cells. Its usefulness is increasingly evidenced in the diagnosis and monitoring of haematological malignancies. It is a highly advanced technology, but still remains poorly standardized. It requires a well trained and experienced staff enough, because it may be subject to multiple sources of error which may appear at pre-analytical or analytical steps, or due to graphical acquisition problems. The interpretation of flow cytometry results is difficult and should always be attached to the clinical and biological context. The objective of this article is to present some fundamental aspects of flow cytometry technique and the main practical stages of its use in haematology through a systematic search of reference books, latest reports of expert societies and recent publications on this topic