07/02/2012

Cytology, Immunophenotype and cytogenetics Units of Hematology from Vall d'Hebron University Hospital organized on February 7 the Fifth Integrated Diagnostics Workshop Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) of clinical cases.The fifth edition of the workshop, led by Dr Teresa Vallespí, member of the experimental hematology group at Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), was opened to 15 researchers coming from several centers of Spain. After an upgrade of the techniques used in integrated diagnostics, participants in groups of 2 or 3, developed problems supervised by five experts from different units.During the conference, sponsored by Celgene, the participants studied, together with the respective experts, the different aspects of the malignant clone. For pupils it means making contact with the most advanced scanners that are used in the diagnostic study (karyotyping, flow cytometry 10 colors). After the process, they made the diagnosis by integrating all the data, implying a clear exercise of the specialty of Hematology. Furthermore, it confirmed the certainty that a correct diagnosis allows appropriate treatment and, at times, elements for further study of minimal residual disease (MRD).At the end of the day, workshop participants finished the experience with several objectives accomplished: delve into the key features in the diagnosis of MDS, analyze karyotypes with abnormalities most frequently observed in MDS, studying pictures with alterations in the expression of antigens or aberrant antigens and join all the previous clinical data, develop integrated diagnosis and classify the proposals according to FAB, IPSS (1997) and WHO (2008).The workshop, with class material, will have another edition on 22 May due to the success of the last experiences and the wide demand.