Cytologic Diagnosis of Lymphoproliferative Disorders by Morphology and Ancillary Techniques

Abstract

The focus of the cytologist should be the well-being of the patient. The goal of a lymph node (LN) fine-needle aspiration (FNA) should be to provide a diagnosis and accompanying information sufficient to enable the clinical team to deliver the best care. The cornerstone of achieving this goal is good communication. To insure that the cytologist and clinical team are using the same language, current 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) terminology and diagnostic criteria must be used, and the report should state that WHO criteria are being used. For example, antiquated and/or vague terms should not be used (e.g., “malignant lymphoma” or “small cell lymphoma”). When possible, precise subtype diagnoses should be provided using exact WHO terminology. When the findings are insufficient for a WHO subtype diagnosis, a broader categorical diagnosis should be used, but as specific as possible (e.g., low-grade B-cell lymphoma). Lastly, when further studies are required, it should be stated explicitly (e.g., “For a more precise diagnosis, an excisional biopsy would be required.”).