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Quantitative analysis of lymphoid cells in myocosis fungoides, Sézary's syndrome and parapsoriasis en plaques

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Summary

Semi-thin sections are superior to paraffin sections for differentiating lymphoid cells. To test their possible significance in the diagnosis of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, the following investigation was made:

A quantitative analysis of lymphoid cells in the cellular infiltrate of cutaneous lesions of mycosis fungoides (11 cases), Sézary's syndrome (9 cases), and parapsoriasis en plaques (14 cases) was made using semi-thin sections of eponembedded biopsies. As controls biopsies of patch test reactions, contact dermatitis, initial psoriasis, and erythema chronicum migrans were studied. A high percentage of Lutzner (Sézary) cells was consistently found in Sézary's syndrome and occasionally in parapsoriasis en plaques only. In mycosis fungoides lymphocytoid cells with the nuclei, less dense than in normal lymphocytes were predominant. In most tumorous lesions of mycosis fungoides and of Sézary's syndrome an increased percentage of immunoblasts was noted. Normal lymphocytes were the most frequent cell type in parapsoriasis en plaques as well as in the controls.

These findings may prove helpful in the diagnosis of problem cases, for which the use of semi-thin sections is recommended.

Zusammenfassung

Semi-Dünnschnitte erlauben eine bessere morphologische Differenzierung von lymphoiden Zellen als Paraffinschnitte. Zur Prüfung ihrer möglichen Bedeutung bei der Diagnostik von kutanen T-Zell-Lymphomen wurden folgende Untersuchungen durchgeführt:

Lymphoide Zellen im cellulären Infiltrat von Hautläsionen bei Mykosis fungoides (11 Fälle), Sézary-Syndrom (9 Fälle) und Parapsoriasis en plaques (14 Fälle) wurden mittels Semi-Dünnschnitten von Epon-eingebetteten Biopsien quantitativ analysiert. Als Kontrollen wurden Biopsien von Epikutan-Test-Reaktionen, Kontaktdermatitis, initialer Psoriasis und Erythema chronicum migrans untersucht. Eine hohe Prozentzahl von Lutzner-(Sézary)-Zellen fand sich ständig beim Sézary-Syndrom und gelegentlich bei der Parapsoriasis en plaques. Bei der Mycosis fungoides überwogen lymphocytoide Zellen mit helleren Kernen als bei normalen Lymphocyten. In den meisten Tumorläsionen sowohl bei der Mycosis fungoides als auch beim Sézary-Syndrom fand sich eine erhöhte Prozentzahl von Immunoblasten. Lymphocyten waren der häufigste Zelltyp bei der Parapsoriasis en plaques und bei den Kontrollen.

Diese Befunde könnten nützlich für die Diagnostik von Problemfällen sein, für die die Semi-Dünnschnitt-Technik als eine weitere Methode empfohlen wird.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Munich, Frauenlobstr. 9, D-8000, München 2, Germany

    Christian Schmoeckel, Günter Burg & Otto Braun-Falco

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  1. Christian Schmoeckel
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  2. Günter Burg
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  3. Otto Braun-Falco
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Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

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Schmoeckel, C., Burg, G. & Braun-Falco, O. Quantitative analysis of lymphoid cells in myocosis fungoides, Sézary's syndrome and parapsoriasis en plaques. Arch Dermatol Res 264, 17–28 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00417275

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00417275

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