reactive T cells vs lymphoma
ctnebe (ctnebe@t-online.de)
Tue, 18 Jun 96 22:16 +0100
There have been several threads regarding the distinction between t cell
lymphoma and reactive t cells in the mailing list.
I want to emphasize some ways out:
1. Always review the blood film and consult a hemopathologist in case you are
not well enough trained. Reactive t cells and lymphoblasts show a distinct and
heterogeneous pattern. The blood film is done in all of our flow requests and
has been proven of great value.
2. Perform a delta check after one or better two weeks. T NHL allow you to wait
and reactive cells in viral infections change within this time frame.
3. Abnormal antigen density of T cell markers (CD2,3,4,5,7,8,56,57) is a useful
hint. CD3 may be reduced physiologically in active T cells.
4. Mabs against TCR subunits provide an expensive way to check for clonality and
are unnecessary in most cases to prove viral infection.
5. Negativity for TdT may be of additional value to exclude ATL.
Thomas Nebe
Klinikum Mannheim der Universitaet Heidelberg, D-68135 Mannheim, Germany
ctnebe@t-online.de
CD ROM Vol 2 was produced by staff at the Purdue University Cytometry Laboratories
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If you have any comments please direct them to Dr. J. Paul Robinson, Professor & Director, PUCL,
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EMAIL robinson@flowcyt.cyto.purdue.edu
