In simple words: This test uses a laser to analyze the DNA of cells from a sample like blood or tissue. It helps diagnose and monitor conditions like cancer by identifying abnormal cells and their stage in the cell cycle.

The lab analyst performs a flow cytometry procedure to analyze the cell cycle or DNA of a patient’s specimen, such as tumor tissue, body fluid, blood, bone marrow, or urine. The analysis may provide diagnostic and treatment information about a malignancy. The analyst prepares the specimen for analysis by staining the cells with fluorescent dye that binds to specific sections of DNA. The sample is aspirated into the flow cytometer, which surrounds the sample with a narrow stream of fluid. The cells travel in a single line past a focused light or laser beam that causes the stained cells to fluoresce and scatter light according to their DNA and nuclear structure. The analyst measures the fluorescence and light scatter with a photodetector and interprets the results. The characteristics of the light may also differentiate cells according to the stage of replication, or cell cycle.

Example 1: A patient with suspected leukemia undergoes flow cytometry of a bone marrow aspirate to analyze the DNA of blood cells, aiding in diagnosis and classification of the leukemia., A patient with a lymphoma has flow cytometry performed on a lymph node biopsy specimen to determine the type and characteristics of the lymphoma cells, assisting in treatment planning., A patient undergoing treatment for a solid tumor has flow cytometry performed on a tumor sample to assess the response to therapy by analyzing changes in the DNA content and cell cycle of the tumor cells.

Documentation should include the type of specimen, the clinical indication for the test (e.g., suspected malignancy, treatment monitoring), and the results of the flow cytometry analysis, including the cell cycle or DNA information obtained.