A 64-year-old patient received an SCT in March. Two weeks after the transplant, the physician ordered a routine blood count. The patient's ANC is 12 x109/L, and his platelet count is 65 x 109/L.
Chimerism studies were performed 6 months after his transplant using VNTR polymorphisms, which indicated a partial chimerism. Interpret these results regarding what they mean for the patient.
a. The patient achieved short-term and long-term engraftment.
b. The patient achieved long-term engraftment but not short-term engraftment.
c. The patient achieved short-term engraftment, but long-term results are indeterminate.
d. The patient did not achieve engraftment at all.
Question 2
Which HSC quantitation method would be optimal for verification of late-stage engraftment?
a. Manual count of MNCs
b. CD34 enumeration by flow cytometry
c. Cell culture for CFUs
d. Bone marrow exam for stem cells