Objectives: Optimizing a clinical flow cytometry panel can be a subjective process dependent on experience. We develop a quantitative method to make this process more rigorous and apply it to B lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (B-ALL) minimal residual disease (MRD) testing.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed our existing three-tube, seven-color B-ALL MRD panel and used our novel method to develop an optimized one-tube, eight-color panel, which was tested prospectively.
Results: The optimized one-tube, eight-color panel resulted in greater efficiency of time and resources with no loss in diagnostic power.
Conclusions: Constructing a flow cytometry panel using a rigorous, objective, quantitative method permits optimization and avoids problems of interdependence and redundancy in a large, multiantigen panel.
Keywords: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia; Flow cytometry; Minimal residual disease; Optimization; Statistical analysis.
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