title: Usefulness of flow cytometry in the diagnosis of mycosis fungoides.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pathologic evaluation of mycosis fungoides (MF) is a challenging area in dermatopathology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine the usefulness of flow cytometry for the diagnosis of MF from skin biopsy specimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Skin biopsy specimens from 22 patients with a clinical suggestion for MF were evaluated by 4-color flow cytometry. The results were correlated with the International Society for Cutaneous Lymphoma (ISCL) MF diagnostic score and molecular studies for T-cell receptor gene rearrangement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A T-cell abnormality by flow cytometry was identified in all 11 patients with diagnostic ISCL scores whereas the 7 patients with either subdiagnostic ISCL scores or reactive histology showed no phenotypic abnormality by flow cytometry. In all, 10 of 11 patients with diagnostic skin biopsy specimens for MF had T-cell receptor gene rearrangements by polymerase chain reaction. Gene rearrangements were not detected in the subdiagnostic group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Small study size was a limitation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Flow cytometry of skin biopsy specimens is a sensitive method for detecting abnormalities in MF and should be considered part of the routine workup of patients with a clinical suggestion of MF.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Ireland Cancer Center of University Hospitals of Cleveland/Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA.
authors: Shaheen
authors: S
authors: Oshtory
authors: Narin
authors: N
authors: Apisarnthanarax
authors: Anita C
authors: AC
authors: Gilliam
authors: Kevin D
authors: KD
authors: Cooper
authors: Howard J
authors: HJ
authors: Meyerson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology