Anaplastic large cell lymphoma: a critical evaluation of cytomorphological features in seven cases

Abstract

The morphological spectrum of ALCL is wide and it may be misdiagnosed as a metastatic poorly differentiated malignant tumour on FNAC. Identification of unusual giant cells on FNAC helps in establishing a diagnosis on an early lymph node biopsy.

Cytology of cerebrospinal fluid involvement in systemic anaplastic large‐cell lymphoma

“…The present case of ALK‐positive ALCL also showed extensive involvement affecting lymph nodes, skin/soft tissue and central nervous system. The cytomorphological details have also been dealt with in detail by some authors . The various forms of atypical lymphoid cells that are highlighted are hallmark cells, doughnut cells, hand mirror cells, plasmacytoid cells, non‐descript small round cells, cells with multilobated (embryoid) nucleus and multinucleated cell with wreath like arrangement of nuclei.…”

Cytopathologic features of epithelioid inflammatory myofibroblastic sarcoma with correlation of histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular cytogenetic analysis

“…The distinction from ALCL, especially the sarcomatoid or myxoid variants, can be very challenging, given the fact that E‐IMS and ALCL have significant clinical, morphologic, and immunophenotypic overlapping including reactivity for ALK, CD30, and SMA. Cytologic features in favor of ALCL include marked anisonucleosis; the frequent presence of diagnostic hallmark cells characterized by horseshoe‐shaped, lobulated, and ring‐shaped (“donut”) nuclei; and the absence of diffuse myxoid stroma . Desmin expression, which is noted in nearly 90% of E‐IMS cases, is not a feature of ALCL .…”

“…Cytologic features in favor of ALCL include marked anisonucleosis; the fre-quent presence of diagnostic hallmark cells characterized by horseshoe-shaped, lobulated, and ring-shaped ("donut") nuclei; and the absence of diffuse myxoid stroma. 23,24 Desmin expression, which is noted in nearly 90% of E-IMS cases, is not a feature of ALCL. 11,25 Although demonstration of ALK cytoplasmic reactivity and the detection of ALK rearrangement would not be helpful for this distinction, the nuclear membranous pattern of ALK staining, resulting from RANBP2-ALK fusion, which can be confirmed by RT-PCR, is to our knowledge observed only in E-IMS.…”

Named cells in dermatology

“…[17] These inclusions are the result of deep cytoplasmic invaginations into the nuclei. Nuclear indentation >70% of the total nuclear diameter is the criterion to term it as a halfdoughnut cell [18] LM H and E Papanicolaou, May-Grunwald, Giemsa, CD30+, Clusterin…”