Lymphadenopathy and aspiration biopsy cytology. Review of 376 superficial nodes.

The results of aspiration biopsy from 376 superficial lymph nodes were reviewed. Diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma based on "alien" cells and melanoma was easily made with an accuracy of 95%. The results of aspiration biopsy from lymphoma was much less accurate, and led to retrospective analysis of aspirates from 51 histologically verified cases of benign lymphadenopathy and lymphoma. Features suggestive of lymphoma included large immature lymphocytes, large histiocytes, abundant mitoses, and Reed-Sternberg cells. Thus, this safe office procedure, which immediately differentiates the lymph node from a cyst, inflammatory mass, or mesenchymal tumor, provides an important tool for diagnosis.