Diagnosis of lymphatic neoplasms

The diagnostics of lymphoid neoplasms has become more complex through the identification of novel molecular markers. This is also reflected by the revision of the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of lymphoid neoplasms. Those markers have prognostic, diagnostic and in parts therapeutical relevance. All these aspects have made them part of routine diagnostics in hematopathology and hematology laboratories, requiring a more integrative use and understanding of morphology, flowcytometry, cytogenetics and molecular genetics. This review focuses on the lymphatic neoplasms that are primarily found in the blood and bone marrow and are therefore essential not only for pathologists, but also relevant for all laboratory doctors. We discuss mature B- and T-cell neoplasms, as well as acute lymphatic leukemias (ALL) in their clinical context and all relevant diagnostic methods.