Abstract
Although it is possible to diagnose primary high-grade thyroid lymphoma from a fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy, the distinction of low-grade B- cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) from lymphocytic thyroiditis is sometimes problematic. Definitive diagnosis of lymphoma on cytologic specimens may be facilitated by the documentation of a clonal lymphoid proliferation within the specimen by flow cytometric immunophenotyping or immunocytochemistry. Recently, molecular techniques have also been developed to detect clonal lymphoid proliferation based on immunoglobulin (Ig) or T-cell receptor gene rearrangement. We have used a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assay for Ig heavy chain gene arrangement to identify a clonal population of lymphocytes within the thyroid FNA specimen from a low-grade thyroid MALT lymphoma. Using this assay, we identified no distinct clonal population in five cytologic specimens of lymphocytic thyroiditis. Therefore, this PCR-based clonality assay represents a potentially useful adjunct to the cytologic diagnosis of thyroid lymphoma.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 989-992 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Human pathology |
Volume | 28 |
Issue number | 8 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1997 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Fine needle aspiration
- MALT lymphoma
- Monoclonality
- Polymerase chain reaction
- Thyroid
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pathology and Forensic Medicine