Table of Contents
Definition / general | Case reports | Microscopic (histologic) images | Positive stains | Differential diagnosisCite this page: Mihova D. AML hypocellular. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/leukemiahypocellular.html. Accessed December 22nd, 2024.
Definition / general
- Defined as < 20% bone marrow cellularity, 20% or more are blasts (WHO); other definitions range up to 40% cellularity
- Up to 10% of AML cases
- Median age 67 years (Leuk Res 1996;20:563)
- Rare blasts in peripheral blood
- Often has smoldering course although intensive chemotherapy may cause complete remission
Case reports
- 78 year old man and woman with minimally differentiated hypoplastic leukemia (Nihon Ronen Igakkai Zasshi 1997;34:70)
Microscopic (histologic) images
AFIP images
Markedly hypocellular marrow
Cells in interstitium are predominantly blasts
Positive stains
Differential diagnosis
- Aplastic anemia: no excess blasts, interstitial bone marrow cells are plasma cells, lymphocytes and mast cells, not blasts
- Refractory anemia with excess blasts
- Substance abuse: see Arch Pathol Lab Med 2005;129:e35
