Transmission and scanning electron microscopy study on Burkitt-like leukemia.

A young patient had Burkitt-like leukemia. The diagnosis was based on the presence of numerous vacuoles observed with the light microscope and confirmed by the finding of large lipid droplets and abundant ribosomes in the cytoplasm of the leukemic cells, seen with the transmission electron microscope. Scanning electron microscope examination of the leukemic cells showed the presence of a smaller number of microvilli and ruffles on the cell surface, which distinguished these cells from the blasts of other types of leukemia.