We analyzed semiquantitatively the ultrastructural distribution of RNA by the RNase-gold method in 40 patients with acute leukemia (20 patients with AML and 20 with ALL) before the initial treatment. The number of gold particles showing the presence of RNA was high in the granular component of the nucleolus and cytoplasm but low in the fibrillar component of the nucleolus, granules, the Golgi area, and Auer bodies. The number of gold particles in the nucleolus, nucleus, or cytoplasm was higher in AML than in ALL (p<0.01). The RNase-gold method seems to be useful for evaluating the capacity of protein synthesis, maturity, or differentiation of leukemic cells.