About Us

Hematopathology Consultations

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The Division of Hematopathology offers a variety of comprehensive laboratory and pathology tests for benign and malignant disorders of the peripheral blood and bone marrow. Our goal is to provide the referring physician with an accurate hematologic evaluation in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. All requests will be processed as a consultation first. Special studies will be performed only if diagnostically indicated.

  • Morphologic consultation (see #5434 “Hematopathology Consultation”)
    • Essential for accurate interpretation of any hematologic study
    • Peripheral blood smears, bone marrow aspirate smears, and/or bone marrow biopsy sections/blocks
    • Body fluids for the evaluation of possible hematologic malignancy
  • Enzyme cytochemical stains (see #5434 “Hematopathology Consultation”) - These are performed as part of a hematopathology consultation and are not available as stand-alone tests.
    • Applicable to air-dried blood or marrow aspirate smears
    • Useful for subclassification of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)
    • Useful in the evaluation of some myelodysplastic syndromes/myeloproliferative disorders
    • Useful to confirm diagnosis of hairy cell leukemia (TRAP stain)
  • Immunophenotyping
    • Flow cytometric analysis (see #3287 “Leukemia/Lymphoma Immunophenotyping by Flow Cytometry”)
      • Applicable to anticoagulated peripheral blood, bone marrow aspirates, or body fluids, and to unfixed tissue from any site other than blood or bone marrow
      • Preferred method for immunophenotyping acute leukemias, lymphoproliferative disorders, and lymphomas involving blood and bone marrow.
      • Useful for:
        • Evaluating lymphocytoses of undetermined etiology
        • Identifying B- and T-cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorders involving blood and bone marrow
        • Distinguishing acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) from acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
        • Immunologic subtyping of ALL
        • Distinguishing reactive lymphocytes/lymphoid hyperplasia from malignant lymphoma
        • Distinguishing between malignant lymphoma and acute leukemia
        • Phenotypic subclassification of B- and T-cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorders, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia, mantle cell lymphoma, and hairy cell leukemia
        • Recognizing AML with minimal morphologic or cytochemical evidence of differentiation
        • Distinguishing polyclonal from monoclonal plasma cell populations
        • Can aid in the classification of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas
      • Performed in the context of a hematopathology or surgical pathology consultation
    • Immunohistochemical stains (see #5434 “Hematopathology Consultation”) - These are performed only as part of a hematopathology consultation and are not available as stand-alone tests.
      • Applicable to paraffin sections of bone marrow or other tissue
      • Useful in demonstrating various cell-associated antigens for characterizing malignant disorders of the bone marrow
  • Plasma cell labeling index (see #84376 “Plasma Cell Labeling Index [PCLI] Profile”)
    • Applicable to fresh bone marrow specimens suspicious for a plasma cell disorder
    • Indicated for patients with monoclonal gammopathy
    • Important indicator of clinical prognosis in multiple myeloma
    • Report includes percent cytoplasmic immunoglobulin-positive cells
    • Determination of clonality (kappa vs. lambda), percent of plasma cells in S-phase (LI), and overall interpretation of findings

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