Cytology of leukemic lymphadenopathy.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the cytomorphologic features of leukemic cells in lymph node aspiration material.


METHODS
We studied lymph node fine needle aspiration (FNA) smears of 36 leukemic patients. In 23 cases the lymphadenopathy was noticed simultaneously with marrow leukemia, and in the other 13 cases the lymphadenopathy was noticed during a relapse. Special stains, such as periodic acid Schiff, Sudan Black-B, Oil Red-O and nonspecific esterase, were used in special cases.


RESULTS
Thirty-three cases were diagnosed as lymphoma, 1 as extramedullary hematopoiesis and 2 as leukemic involvement.


CONCLUSIONS
Leukemic lymphadenopathy can be misdiagnosed as lymphoma on FNA smears. The clinical findings, previous history, hematologic studies and immunocytochemical studies are essential to the differentiation of leukemic smears from lymphoma. However, in some cases the leukemic infiltration can be diagnosed with certainty, provided that the smears show the characteristic findings, such as Auer rods and neoplastic promyelocytes with azurophilic granules.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000473:pathology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology