Description
A trephine biopsy is not always necessary for the diagnosis of acute leukaemia. It may, however, be essential for diagnosis when there are few circulating blast cells and when either no bone marrow aspirate can be obtained or the aspirate is dilute or represents only peripheral blood. A trephine biopsy is particularly useful in cases of hypocellular acute leukaemia and when there is associated fibrosis. In cases of suspected acute leukaemia, sections should be stained with haematoxylin and eosin, a Giemsa stain and a reticulin stain. Immunohistochemistry is often required to permit a precise diagnosis and for confirmation of the lineage or lineages involved.
