Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Citometría de flujo
Flow cytometry
A method of measuring the number of cells in a sample, the percentage of live cells in a sample, and certain characteristics of cells, such as size, shape, and the presence of tumor markers on the cell surface. The cells are stained with a light-sensitive dye, placed in a fluid, and passed in a stream before a laser or other type of light. The measurements are based on how the light-sensitive dye reacts to the light.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.