Primary lymphoma of bone: diagnosis by fine-needle aspiration biopsy in a pediatric patient.

We present an unusual case of a child with an isolated lytic lesion in the L3 vertebral body. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy showed a small, blue-cell neoplasm raising the differential diagnosis of Ewing's sarcoma and lymphoblastic lymphoma. Through a combination of morphologic and immunofluorescent findings we established a diagnosis of lymphoblastic lymphoma. This case further documents the utility of fine-needle aspiration biopsy in the diagnosis of pediatric tumors.