While a pattern approach to diagnosis is taught and practiced with almost every other tissue or organ in the body, the lymph node remains a mystery to most residents starting out in pathology and those pathologists with limited experience in the area. A Pattern Approach to Lymph Node Diagnosis demonstrates that a systematic approach to lymph node examination can be achieved through recognition of morphological patterns produced by different disease processes. It presents a combination of knowledge-based assessment and pattern recognition for diagnosis covering the major primary neoplastic and non neoplastic diseases and metastatic tumors in lymph nodes. This volume demonstrates that lymph node compartments can be recognized histologically especially with the aid of immunohistological markers and how this knowledge can be employed effectively to localize and identify pathological changes in the different compartments in order to facilitate histological diagnosis. It also defines histological features that, because of their pathological occurrence in lymph nodes, are useful pointers to specific diagnoses or disease processes. The volume is organized in accordance with the primary pattern of presentation of each diagnostic entity. Differential diagnosis is discussed and each diagnostic entity is accompanied by color illustrations that highlight the diagnostic features. Immunohistochemistry, clinical aspects, relevant cytogenetics and molecular information of each entity is provided by authors who are experts in lymphoproliferative diseases. An algorithmic approach to diagnosis is adopted at the end of each section by listing a set of questions that help to consider diagnostic entities that can present with the morphological features observed. A Pattern Approach to Lymph Node Diagnosis will be of great utility to residents and fellows in pathology and general pathologists making first hand lymph node diagnoses as well as to hematologists and physicians who treat patients with lymphoprolifeative diseases.

This book has been written from two points of view: firstly, from the viewpoint of those who are involved in the diagnosis and treatment of lymphoid malignancies, who must meet the challenge of integrating the new biological insights into their knowledge of these diseases; and secondly, from the viewpoint of those who are involved in basic biological approaches to malignancy and immunology, who wish to know more about the function of the lymphoid tissues and their malignant diseases. Neoplasia of lymphocytes is a focus for considering many of the most important biological advances impinging on cancer in the past two or three decades, because malignant lymphoproliferative diseases offer unequalled opportunities for studying many aspects of cancer. We probably know more about lymphocytes than other normal cells because of the ease with which they can be obtained. For the same reason we probably know more about malignant lymphocytes. One or other aspect of most of the momentous advances in biology of the past two or three decades has implications for lymphoid malignancies: hybridoma technology and the use of monoclonal antibodies, gene technology, the understanding of oncogenes and growth factors in the control of growth and differentiation, insights into causation of cancer by potent tumour promoters such as the phorbol esters and by viruses, and knowledge of the control of growth function of lymphocytes themselves. Conversely, many of the advances in understanding lym phocytic leukaemias and lymphomas have implications for other cancers."

While a pattern approach to diagnosis is taught and practiced with almost every other tissue or organ in the body, the lymph node remains a mystery to most residents starting out in pathology and those pathologists with limited experience in the area. A Pattern Approach to Lymph Node Diagnosis demonstrates that a systematic approach to lymph node examination can be achieved through recognition of morphological patterns produced by different disease processes. It presents a combination of knowledge-based assessment and pattern recognition for diagnosis covering the major primary neoplastic and non neoplastic diseases and metastatic tumors in lymph nodes. This volume demonstrates that lymph node compartments can be recognized histologically especially with the aid of immunohistological markers and how this knowledge can be employed effectively to localize and identify pathological changes in the different compartments in order to facilitate histological diagnosis. It also defines histological features that, because of their pathological occurrence in lymph nodes, are useful pointers to specific diagnoses or disease processes. The volume is organized in accordance with the primary pattern of presentation of each diagnostic entity. Differential diagnosis is discussed and each diagnostic entity is accompanied by color illustrations that highlight the diagnostic features. Immunohistochemistry, clinical aspects, relevant cytogenetics and molecular information of each entity is provided by authors who are experts in lymphoproliferative diseases. An algorithmic approach to diagnosis is adopted at the end of each section by listing a set of questions that help to consider diagnostic entities that can present with the morphological features observed. A Pattern Approach to Lymph Node Diagnosis will be of great utility to residents and fellows in pathology and general pathologists making first hand lymph node diagnoses as well as to hematologists and physicians who treat patients with lymphoprolifeative diseases.

As immunohistochemistry enters its fourth decade as a diagnostic tool, this analytical procedure continues to experience poor reproducibility, albeit in specific situations. The problem becomes more important with the mounting pressure to employ the assay in a quantitative manner for the assessment of therapeutic and prognostic markers in a number of neoplasms. Qualitative applications of immunohistochemistry are well established and continue to increase with the range of sensitive antibodies and detection systems available, however, numerous variables that influence the immunoexpression of proteins in formalin-fixed tissue continue to exist in the pre-analytical and analytical phases of the test procedure. This book emphasises these problems in detail and suggests possible solutions.

This book is unique in that it is written by an author who is a pioneer in microwave technology and has made numerous original contributions in the field. His expertise in diagnostic immunohistochemistry combines well with microwave technology because the invaluable contributions of microwave antigen retrieval have been a major influence in the adoption of immunohistology as an indispensable adjunct to routine morphological diagnosis. The history and theoretical aspects of the technology are discussed and details of many routine procedures developed by both the author and by others are presented. There is detailed coverage of the applications of microwaves for antigen retrieval and the impact of this technology on tumour diagnosis. The volume is amply illustrated and written in a clear concise manner with recipes and procedures laid out in detail step by step. Techniques for both light microscopy and ultrastructural studies are covered and these include applications for tissue fixation, tissue processing, demineralization, frozen section microscopy, histochemical and immunohistochemical staining and antigen retrieval. This volume will be of interest to all who use microwaves in both diagnostic pathology or research.