title: The cytological spectrum of the monocytoid B-cell reaction: recognition of its large cell type.
abstract: To analyse the cytological features of benign monocytoid B-cells, we investigated, histologically and immunohistochemically, 78 reactive lymphadenopathies expressing monocytoid B-cell reactions. Within a broad cytological spectrum of reactive monocytoid B-cells, two cytological types can be recognized: 1 the common type composed of medium-sized cells with irregular or bean-shaped nuclei and inconspicuous nucleoli, and 2 the large cell type composed of cells considered to represent large transformed monocytoid B-cells, with less pleomorphic round nuclei with vesicular chromatin and moderately basophilic, prominent nucleoli. In between these variants transitional forms showing evolution to large transformed monocytoid B-cells occurred. While monocytoid B-cell reactions in 70.5% of all cases were composed predominantly of the common type of monocytoid B-cells, in 29.5% of cases the large transformed cells prevailed. The two distinctive cytological types of reactive monocytoid B-cells seem to have their neoplastic counterparts in monocytoid B-cell lymphoma, including its large cell variant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Plank
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hansmann
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000378:metabolism; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D048429:Cell Size; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008199:Lymphadenitis / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte