FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION FOR FLOW-CYTOMETRY IMMUNOPHENOTYPING OF NON-HODGKIN-LYMPHOMA

The aim was to evaluate the usefulness of lymph node biopsies obtained by fine needle aspiration (FNA) for immunophenotyping of non Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Seventeen superficial and deep lymph node samples were fractioned for conventional cytological examination and immunophenoty ping studies. Out of ten NHL, nine were readily detected by flow cytom etry (FC), while failure on the remaining case was due to selective lo ss of large cell population, which is liable to occur with this proced ure. A single case, which proved negative for all markers employed, wa s finally diagnosed by immunohistochemistry as germ cell tumor. The ot her six cases, presenting lymphoid population without phenotypic abnor malities, were diagnosed by cytology and/or histology as Hodgkin disea se or hyperplasic disorders. To conclude, FC immunophenotyping seems t o improve the efficacy of FNA in NHL diagnosis, whereas for Hodgkin di sease and hyperplasic disorders, classic morphological criteria are mo re useful for differential diagnosis. Although FNA for FC immunophenot yping cannot replace histopathological examination for NHL diagnosis, it proves to be a useful tool for staging and follow up, making surgic al procedures for sample collection unnecesary.