A mixture of lymphocyte sizes are noted and also plasma cells.
Lymphoma is populated by no more than 2 types of lymphocytes and usually one unless the aspirates have harvested cells from lymphoma which has not obliterated the whole node.
A predominance of one or 2 cell types should still be seen.
Reactive changes are most often associated with mild to moderate, most often one or several lymph node enlargement esp. submandibular or popliteal and usually due to skin disease, oral disease or auricular disease.
First published: Thu, Apr 21 2011