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Lymph Node Cytology

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Atlas of Non-Gynecologic Cytology

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Abstract

Lymph nodes are among the most commonly sampled organs. The common causes of lymphadenopathy include metastatic cancers, reactive hyperplasia due to various stimuli, infections, and lymphomas. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of a lymph node is a safe, relatively simple, and effective modality in the evaluation of lymphadenopathy. Diff-Quik stain offers rapid provisional assessment and can guide the further workup for the patient. Diff-Quik stain also provides information on cytoplasm and extracellular matrix. Papanicolaou stain reveals nuclear details. Cell block allows histologic sections and immunohistochemical studies. FNA can provide samples for ancillary studies such as flow cytometric analysis and cytogenetic and molecular studies. Ancillary studies are complementary to morphology and can further improve the diagnostic accuracy. This chapter summarizes the cytological features of various lymph node lesions and defines the roles of ancillary studies in the diagnosis and prognosis.

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Correspondence to Qian-Yun Zhang M.D., Ph.D. .

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Samedi, V.G., Zhang, QY. (2018). Lymph Node Cytology. In: Jing, X., Siddiqui, M., Li, Q. (eds) Atlas of Non-Gynecologic Cytology . Atlas of Anatomic Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89674-8_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89674-8_11

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