CYTOMORPHOLOGY AND IMMUNOCYTOCHEMISTRY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF NON-HODGKIN LYMPHOMAS

1. Lymph node aspirates from 17 patients with an initial cytologic dia gnosis of lymphoma (11 cases) or with suspected lymphoma (6 cases) wer e studied by immunocytochemistry, which led to a final diagnosis. Immu nocytochemical staining demonstrated a B-cell phenotype in 10 cases, o ne case of anaplastic large cell Ki-1+ lymphoma, one lymphoblastic lym phoma negative for B and T cell markers, one large-cell unclassified l ymphoma, and one inconclusive case. Three of the cases with suspected lymphoma were diagnosed as reactive lymphadenitis. 2. Combined cytomor phology and cytochemistry permitted a conclusive diagnosis in 13 out o f 14 cases of lymphoma. Histology and immunohistochemistry confirmed t he cytologic diagnosis. The inconclusive case was diagnosed as a T ple omorphic, small-cell lymphoma by histology. 3. The accuracy of cytomor phology associated with immunocytochemistry is high. However, the diag nosis of low-grade lymphomas, especially of a T phenotype may be diffi cult.