title: The form factor of alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase-positive cells in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and reactive lymph nodes.
abstract: The shape of alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE)-positive cells (other than T lymphocytes) has been measured in 40 lymph nodes. The specimens comprised 15 high-grade lymphomas, 15 low-grade lymphomas and 10 reactive lymph nodes. The parameter used for the measurement of shape was form factor (FF), which is readily calculated by the Reichert-Jung (Kontron) MOP-AMO3 user-controlled image analyzer. Perfectly round cells have an FF value of 1.0, whereas the FF of irregularly-shaped cells diverges from unity. It has been demonstrated that the ANAE-positive cells in high-grade lymphomas have mean values for FF of 0.8-0.9, whereas in low-grade lymphomas and reactive nodes the mean value is 0.4-0.5. Thus, high-grade lymphomas contain many more rounded ANAE-positive macrophage type cells than do low-grade lymphomas and reactive nodes. In the latter two types of specimen there is an excess of branching and spindle-shaped ANAE-positive cells.
mesh_terms: D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis*; D006652:Histological Techniques; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000201:enzymology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D008433:Mathematics; D009283:Naphthol AS D Esterase / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D009283:Naphthol AS D Esterase; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases