Bone Marrow Aspiration

A small amount of bone marrow is removed during a bone marrow aspiration. The procedure is uncomfortable, but can be tolerated by both children and adults. The marrow can be studied to determine the cause of anemia, the presence of leukemia or other malignancy, or the presence of some "storage diseases" in which abnormal metabolic products are stored in certain bone marrow cells.

Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia - Photomicrograph

This picture shows the darkly-stained lymph cells (lymphoblasts) seen in acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), the most common type of childhood leukemia.

Acute Myelocytic Leukemia - Microscopic View

This microscope image shows AML cells (acute myeloblastic leukemia; also referred to as ANLL, acute nonlymphocytic leukemia). Certain internal cell structures are typical of AML. These include prominent nucleoli (red arrows) and cytoplasmic granules (grainy structures inside the cell which indicate some degree of cell maturation--black arrow).

Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia - Microscopic View

This microscope image shows immature cells containing prominent nucleoli. The nuclei are large, lobulated, and/or irregular, resembling the nuclei of monocytes.

Auer Rods

Note multiple Auer rods which are found only in acute myeloid leukemias, either myeloblastic or monoblastic. These rods consist of clumps of azurophilic granule material.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia - Microscopic View

This is a microscopic view of bone marrow from a person with chronic lymphocytic leukemia; it shows predominantly small, mature lymphocytes.

Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia - Microscopic View

This high-power microscopic view of a blood smear from a person with classical CML shows predominantly normal-appearing cells with intermediate maturity.

Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia

Oil immersion field demonstrating myeloid cells of all degrees of maturity.

Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia

Low power view showing marked hypercellularity with a broad-spectrum of myeloid and erythroid cell types and marked myeloid hyperplasia.

Cryoglobulinemia - of the Fingers

Cryoglobulinemia is caused by an abnormal protein that is occasionally found in the blood of people with multiple myeloma, leukemia, and certain forms of pneumonia. It causes blood to gel at low temperatures. In this picture, cryoglobulinemia has reduced blood flow in the fingers so much the fingers have turned dark; the black areas are gangrene resulting from lack of blood flow.

Antibodies

Antigens are large molecules (usually proteins) on the surface of cells, viruses, fungi, bacteria, and some non-living substances such as toxins, chemicals, drugs, and foreign particles. The immune system recognizes antigens and produces antibodies that destroy substances containing antigens.