Diagnostic value of leucocytic acid-phosphatase isoenzymes in determining cytological types of non-lymphoid acute leukaemias.

The normal isoenzymatic pattern of leucocytic acid-phosphatase based on the study of 150 haematologically normal individuals is reported. The different pathologic patterns of the leucocytic acid-phosphatase isoenzymes occurring in non-lymphoblastic acute leukaemias are presented and correlated with the subdivisions of acute leukaemias established by the French-American-British (FAB) Co-operative Group. This study is considered to be especially useful in identifying pure acute monocytic leukaemias corresponding to subtype M5 of the FAB as well as acute erythraemias with unusual cytological and cytochemical features.