Lymphocyte Kinetics in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia

51‐Chromium was used to study lymphocyte kinetics in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Lymphocytes were found to equilibrate with a pool larger than that accounted for by blood volume and the blood lymphocyte count. Lymphocyte disappearance from the blood stream was exponential and complex, with an initial large rapid component and a smaller slower second component. The shape of the lymphocyte disappearance curve was not influenced by the size of the spleen, the white blood cell count or the duration of the disease. Body surface scanning revealed that infused lymphocytes were not sequestered in the lungs and circulated in and out of the spleen. Little radioactivity was noted over the liver or the iliac crest.