Role of Flow Cytometric Immunophenotyping for Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma in Small Biopsy and Cytology Specimens.

TitleRole of Flow Cytometric Immunophenotyping for Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma in Small Biopsy and Cytology Specimens.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2021
AuthorsChan A, Carniello JVictor Sca, Gao Q, Sigler A, Baik J, Roshal M, Lin O
JournalArch Pathol Lab Med
Date Published2021 Jul 22
ISSN1543-2165
Abstract

CONTEXT.—: The diagnosis of classic Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) traditionally requires surgical tissue biopsy because of the paucity of diagnostic Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells. Diagnosis can be challenging in small core needle and cytologic biopsies, which are increasingly used because of reduced costs and minimal invasiveness. Flow cytometric (FC) identification of Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells is possible, but FC test efficacy is not well studied outside of validation settings, especially in small specimens.

OBJECTIVE.—: To assess the testing efficacy of FC performed on small biopsy and cytology specimens for the diagnosis of CHL.

DESIGN.—: We reviewed 131 patients with CHL and 459 patients without CHL during a 3-year period who underwent a small biopsy procedure, including core biopsy and/or cytology evaluation, with concurrent routine clinical FC testing for CHL, assessing performance of FC in small specimens.

RESULTS.—: Evaluating testing efficacy, sensitivity was 95.4% and specificity was 98.2%, whereas positive and negative predictive values were 92.2% and 99.0%, respectively. Although there were more false-positive results than compared with published validation studies, expert review identified distinct diagnostic pitfalls; awareness of these may improve testing efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS.—: Although FC diagnosis of CHL was historically considered unfeasible, our findings in a real-world clinical setting suggest that FC adds diagnostic value to small biopsy evaluation, reducing time to treatment, costs, and invasive excisional procedures.

DOI10.5858/arpa.2020-0795-OA
Alternate JournalArch Pathol Lab Med
PubMed ID34293084
Related Faculty: 
Jose Scarpa Carniello, M.D.

Pathology & Laboratory Medicine 1300 York Avenue New York, NY 10065 Phone: (212) 746-6464
Surgical Pathology: (212) 746-2700