title: Flow cytometry immunophenotyping of fine-needle aspiration specimens: utility in the diagnosis and classification of non-Hodgkin lymphomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish the utility of flow cytometry (FCM) for screening and diagnosis of B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) from lymphoid tissue samples obtained by fine-needle aspiration (FNA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We compared prospectively FCM versus cytology/histology analysis of FNA samples for the diagnostic screening and further World Health Organization (WHO) subclassification of B-NHL. FCM and cytology showed a high degree of agreement (93%); however, diagnosis of reactive processes (RP), B-NHL and T-NHL by FCM showed higher sensitivity than cytology (92-100% versus 64-94%, respectively), without false positive NHL cases. The antibody combination used did not allow a positive diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma as distinct from a RP. A high concordance rate was found between FCM and histopathology (74%) in subtyping B-NHL. In this regard, mantle-cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma showed the highest degree of agreement (100% concordant rates). In turn, FCM showed higher sensitivity/specificity in classifying follicular lymphoma (FL) and large B cell lymphomas, while the opposite occurred for marginal-zone and lymphoplasmacytic lymphomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FCM enhances the diagnostic ability of FNA cytology, playing a crucial role in a rapid and accurate differential diagnosis between RP, B-NHL and T-NHL. In addition, immunophenotyping of FNA samples contributes to a more precise subclassification of B-NHL when combined with histopathology and genetic/molecular data.
authors: Servicio General de Citometría, Departamento de Medicina and Centro de Investigación del Cáncer (IBMCC-CSIC/USAL), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
authors: Susana
authors: S
authors: Barrena
authors: Julia
authors: J
authors: Almeida
authors: María
authors: M
authors: Del Carmen García-Macias
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: López
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Rasillo
authors: Jose María
authors: JM
authors: Sayagués
authors: Rosa Ana
authors: RA
authors: Rivas
authors: María Laura
authors: ML
authors: Gutiérrez
authors: Juana
authors: J
authors: Ciudad
authors: Teresa
authors: T
authors: Flores
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Balanzategui
authors: María Dolores
authors: MD
authors: Caballero
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Orfao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D016591:Histocytological Preparation Techniques / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping / Q000379:methods*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014944:World Health Organization; D055815:Young Adult