Figure 1. Flow cytometric demonstration of the absence of CD59 on erythroid cells has become the standard by which PNH is diagnosed. This is a single parameter histogram which demonstrates 3 populations of erythrocytes in a patient with PNH. Type I cells are normal residual erythroyctes. Type III cells are PNH cells with complete deficiency of CD59 while Type II cells are PNH cells with partial deficiency.
Figure 2. The appearance of the marrow in PNH can be variable. In this patient with significant hemolysis, the marrow is hypercellular with erythroid hyperplasia.