Blood/Blood Cells and Cellular Components ›› Lymphocytes ›› Abnormal
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
›Microscopic Features:
- Increased number of Small to intermediate sized lymphocytes in the peripheral blood (usually >5000 absolute count)
- Minimal nuclear membrane irregularities
- Nucleoli are absent
- Background smudge cells (smeared partially broken up cells) are common but not specific to CLL
›Normal % blood-PB, marrow-BM, lymphoid tissue-LN:
- PB: None
- BM: None
- LN: None
›May Resemble:
›Differential Diagnoses:
Reactive lymphocytosis
Mantle cell leukemia
Other mature B or T-cell leukemias
Mantle cell leukemia
Other mature B or T-cell leukemias
›Classic Immunophenotype:
- CD19+
- CD20dim+
- CD5+
- CD23+
- BCL1-
›Cartoon Image:
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›Misc:
CLL is a low grade B-cell leukemia mostly seen in elderly
In tissue it is called Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (SLL)
In tissue it is called Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (SLL)