The Remission and Relapse Status of Acute Leukemia as Studied by the In Vitro Uptake of Tritiated Thymidine by Peripheral Blood Leukocytes

H³TdR uptake by peripheral blood leukocytes has been measured in patients with acute leukemia and in hematologically normal controls. Patients with acute leukemia in remission and relapse generally had elevated uptakes and formed populations distinct from the normal population and from each other, although overlap of values between each population was present. The measurement of H³TdR uptake may prove useful as an additional parameter for studying acute leukemia.