FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY OF NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMAS - A MORPHOLOGIC AND IMMUNOPHENOTYPIC STUDY

To assess the value of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the d iagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL), we retrospectively studied all the cases diagnosed cytologically as NHL in our laboratory during a five-year period (1987-1991). We also traced cases in which FNAC fai led to diagnose NHL and where the diagnosis was made subsequently by h istopathology. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) was performed on both peri pheral/palpable and deeply situated lesions. A total of 164 specimens were studied cytologically, and for 130 of them a histologic report wa s available. In 83 of the cases, FNA was carried out as part of the in itial evaluation, and in 81 the diagnosis of NHL was known and FNA was performed to confirm or exclude a relapse. In 76 cases for which morp hology was inconclusive the immunophenotype was assessed by immunocyto chemistry. There were three false-negative and one false-positive resu lt; in none of them teas immunophenotyping performed. No discrepancy w as observed in the distinction between low and high grade lymphomas, b ut this was feasible in only 115 of the 164 specimens studied. We conc lude that the method is a feasible, rapid and inexpensive first approa ch in the evaluation of patients with NHL. FNAC may be substituted for histology in the occasional patient for whom the surgical risk outwei ghs the inaccuracies of the procedure.