Mantle cell lymphoma--a clinicopathological study of 13 cases

Mantle cell lymphoma is an uncommon non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In a period of four years, 13 cases of mantle cell lymphoma were diagnosed in our department, comprising 3.1% of all non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosed. The mean age of presentation was 52 years with a slight male preponderance. The disease was nodal in twelve and extra-nodal in tonsil in one. Five patients had bone marrow involvement. Five cases showed a nodular pattern on lymph node biopsy while the remaining eight had a diffuse pattern. Immunophenotyping showed positivity for CD20 and cyclin D1. Despite certain morphological similarity to other low-grade lymphomas, mantle cell lymphoma has a characteristic appearance of its own. It is more aggressive than other low-grade lymphomas and hence needs to be accurately diagnosed.

Bone marrow cryptococcosis: a case report

A 35-year-old male presented with fever and bilateral cervical and axillary lymphadenopathy. Peripheral blood film examination revealed thrombocytopaenia. Bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy, done for evaluation of thrombocytopaenia and pyrexia showed presence of ill-defined granulomas along with cryptococcal yeast forms. Fine needle aspiration of lymph nodes, cerebrospinal fluid and sputum analyses also showed cryptococci. ELISA for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) antigen was positive. Granulomas, when found in bone marrow aspiration smears and trephine biopsy, are a valuable histological clue to an opportunistic infection. Disseminated fungal infection such as cryptococcosis should raise the possibility of immunosuppression, especially Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. Bone marrow examination is a useful method of diagnosing opportunistic fungal and mycobacterial infections in patients with fever, anaemia or thrombocytopaenia and underlying HIV infection.

Bone marrow trephine biopsy findings in chronic myeloid leukemia

Sixty patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) underwent bone marrow trephine biopsy at presentation. All the biopsies were decalcified, paraffin-embedded and stained with H&E, Gomori's reticulin and Masson Trichrome. A detailed study of the histology including the morphology and topographic distribution of megakaryocytes was done. 55 patients presented in chronic phase. Of these there were 37 cases (67%) of CML-granulocytic (CML-G) type and 18 cases (33%) of CML-granulocytic megakaryocytic (CML -GM) type. Five cases presented in blast crisis. 73% of CML-G had low-grade fibrosis while 83% of CML-GM had high-grade fibrosis. This was statistically significant. On follow-up 25% of CML-G went into blast crisis while all the CML-GM patients remained stable to date. Bone marrow biopsy is a useful investigation in patients of CML at diagnosis as it provides prognostic information. Evaluation of megakaryopoiesis, grading of fibrosis and localization of blasts are possible on a trephine biopsy.