title: Immunocytological diagnosis of primary cerebral non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
abstract: Four men with primary cerebral non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosed by immunocytological analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) presented with cranial nerve palsies. All had CSF lymphocytoses and low CSF glucose. The cell phenotypes were two T cell tumours, one B cell, and one null. A review of 13 previously recorded cases of immunocytologically diagnosed CNS non-Hodgkin's lymphoma showed that there were 10 B cell, two T cell, and one null tumour. Overall (17 cases) the cell phenotype distribution was 65% B cell, 24% T cell, and 11% null. High CSF lymphocyte counts were found in 94%, proteinosis in 85%, and low CSF glucose in 87%. In contrast to the B cell tumours, all of the T cell tumours were diagnosed by CSF cytology before being visualised radiologically. It is suggested that all CSF lymphocytes (greater than 5 x 10(6)/ml) should be immunohistochemically typed to permit earlier diagnosis of CNS non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, London.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Wierzbicki
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Norman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged