Acute Myeloid Leukemia Immunophenotyping by Flow Cytometric Analysis

Flow cytometry plays an indispensible role in the diagnosis and subclassification of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Using a multiparametric approach, flow cytometry immunophenotyping has the advantage of efficiency with high sensitivity. This article reviews the general gating strategy, antibody panels for routine analysis, and additional markers for lineage assignment in the subclassification of AML. Also discussed are diagnostic immunophenotypic features of hard-to-classify entities considered within the differential diagnosis of AML. Finally, briefly presented are the principles underlying the use of flow cytometry for minimal residual disease detection.