The ProCOUNT kit and software for semi-automated data acquisition and analysis represents a further step toward standardization of CD34 cell quantitation in peripheral blood progenitor cell apheresis products. However, the occurrence of software warnings is high, and analysis or data reevaluation by experienced staff is still mandatory. Therefore, currently there is no definite advantage of the kit and software over the existing guidelines for CD34+ analysis in peripheral blood progenitor cell grafts.

The yield of CD34+ PBPC and colony-forming units-granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) in leukapheresis products and the expression of the adhesion molecules CD11a, CD31, CD49d, CD49e, CD54, CD58, CD62L, c-kit (CD117), Thy-1 (CD90), CD33, CD38, and HLA-DR on CD34+ PBPC were analyzed in patients with cancer of the testis (n = 10), breast cancer (n = 10), Hodgkin's disease (n = 20), high-grade (n = 20) and low-grade (n = 20) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and healthy donors (n = 20) undergoing G-CSF (filgrastim)-stimulated PBPC mobilization. For each disease entity, G-CSF was administered in two different doses, 10 microg G-CSF/kg body weight (BW)/day s.c. vs. 24 microg G-CSF/kg BW s.c./day in steady-state condition. Data were compared for each dose group separately. Patients with cancer of the testis and breast cancer mobilized significantly more CD34+ cells than patients with high-grade and low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease (p<0.05). Correspondingly, expression of CD49d on CD34+ PBPC was significantly lower in the same patients with cancer of the testis compared with high-grade and low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkins' disease and in patients with breast cancer compared with high-grade and low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkins's disease, and healthy donors. Similar results were obtained for CD49e. These data suggest that the expression of the adhesion molecules CD49d and CD49e on G-CSF-mobilized CD34+ cells of patients with solid tumors, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and healthy donors is inversely correlated with the amount of mobilized CD34+ cells.

We present a case of unsuspected gastric carcinoma discovered as a result of abnormalities seen on a sulfur colloid gastric-emptying study. Considered a functional or physiological analysis, often relatively little attention is given to the morphology of the stomach except for the purpose of drawing a region of interest. This case, in which the images suggested a space-occupying lesion(s), emphasizes the importance of careful examination for "pathoanatomy" as well as pathophysiology in functional imaging.

Background: Determining the onset of peripheral blood stem cell apheresis is known to be associated with several advantages. The method applied most commonly so far is the immunological analysis of cells expressing the CD34 antigen by flow cytometry. In this study a new parameter for monitoring was tested: the measurement of the so-called human progenitor cell (HPC) parameter by an automated hematology analyzer. Materials and Methods: Eleven multiple myeloma patients were included in this study. Following the white blood cell nadir, monitoring of CD34+ cells by flow cytometry and of IMI-total (immature myeloid information) and HPC counts by a hematology analyzer (Sysmex SE-9000 ^TM ) were performed daily. The quality of the harvest product was determined by flow-cytometric analysis. Results: Monitoring was performed on 46 days (total). Comparing the IMI-total results with the immunological CD34+ cell analyses in peripheral blood, a correlation of r = 0.609 (p < 0.05) was obtained. When comparing the CD34+ cell analysis with the HPC count, a correlation of r = 0.477 (p = 0.05) resulted. A total of 16 PBSC aphereses was performed. When comparing the preapheresis peripheral blood measurements to the CD34+ cell content of the harvest product, a correlation of r = 0.383 (p = 0.14) and of r = 0.254 (p = 0.34) was calculated for the IMI-total counts, and the HPC counts, respectively. The CD34+ pre-apheresis results showed an excellent correlation with the quality of the peripheral blood stem cell apheresis product (r = 0.937; p < 0.05). Conclusion: The gold standard for determining the timing of PBSC apheresis remains the analysis of CD34+ stem and progenitor cells by flow cytometry. The determination of the timing of an apheresis is not possible with the IMI-total or HPC results. In addition, a predictive impression of the graft quality to be expected is only possible with flow cytometry. However, the HPC counts may be applicable for the determination of the onset of CD34+ cell flow-cytometric analyses. Further tests will have to be performed to prove this finding.