Quantitative and qualitative abnormalities of the peripheral blood are routinely detected with an automated complete blood count (CBC) and examination of a peripheral blood smear. The peripheral blood evaluation serves as a screening test for potential bone marrow abnormalities and…
Although hematopoietic stem cells circulate in small numbers, hematopoiesis, in steady-state conditions in adult life, is largely confined to the bone marrow. All lymphopoietic and hematopoietic cells are ultimately derived from pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells—slowly cycling cells with a capacity…
The major question that confronts the surgical pathologist when examining a lymph node biopsy is whether the process is benign or malignant. The pathologist must be familiar with the histologic changes of a diverse group of non-neoplastic disorders to differentiate…
Lymphoid tissues are the sites where precursor cells mature into immunocompetent lymphoid cells and where immune reactions to antigens occur. The lymphoid tissues and the stages of lymphocyte differentiation and maturation have an anatomy—they occur at specific sites in the…
Types of Chromosomal Aberrations in Hematologic Malignancies Introduction to Human Chromosomes In 1888, Waldeyer was first to introduce the term chromosome (meaning “stainable body,” from the Greek chroma, meaning “color,” and soma, meaning “body”). Waldeyer referred to Walther Flemming, who…
The understanding of the biologic basis of hematopoietic diseases in general and neoplasia in particular has been significantly enhanced by the application of molecular techniques to the study of these diseases. The use of Southern blotting hybridization analysis initiated the…
Flow cytometry (FCM) is invaluable in the diagnosis and classification of hematolymphoid neoplasms, and in determining prognosis and monitoring response to therapy. FCM is especially suited for immunophenotypic analysis of blood, fluids (e.g., cerebrospinal fluid [CSF], pleural fluid), and aspirations…
Perhaps in no other subspecialty of pathology does immunohistochemistry (IHC) play as important a role in the accurate diagnosis and definition of disease subtypes as it does in hematopathology. Before the development of this technology, the diagnosis of lymphoproliferative diseases…
Meaningful interpretation of a bone marrow specimen requires an adequate and well-prepared sample. The definition of adequacy depends on the clinical indication for the examination. For example, for staging lymphoma, a bilateral bone marrow core biopsy is superior to a…
Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of superficial and deep-seated lymph nodes is a well-established and safe method for assessing lymphadenopathy in adult and pediatric patients. Patients with primary or recurrent lymphoma frequently undergo FNA, and this diagnostic modality is even more…