Needle Core Biopsies and Aspirates

Abstract

It used to be the requirement that for proper examination of lymph nodes, a fresh intact specimen was required because fragmentation produced crushing with distortion of architecture and cytology of the fragile lymphoid cells contained within. The advent of techniques including immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and molecular analysis to supplement morphological examination has contributed significantly to the ability to diagnose fragmented pieces of lymph node tissue and material removed piecemeal, although this is far from ideal.