[Lymphomas and lymphatic leukemias in the bone marrow]

A bone marrow biopsy in a patient with a diagnosis of lymphoma is often performed as part of the staging procedures, i.e. to find out whether or not the bone marrow harbors infiltrates of an already diagnosed tumor. On the other hand, occasionally changes in the peripheral blood count or an M-protein in the serum lead to a bone marrow biopsy in which the first diagnosis of a malignant lymphoma is established. In either case, the diagnosis of lymphomas and lymphatic leukemias in the bone marrow requires an integration of clinical data, cytomorphology, the topographic distribution of the infiltrate and immunohistochemical as well as molecular techniques, where required. This may particularly be the case when confirmation or exclusion of conventionally barely detectable infiltrates (e.g. hairy cell leukemia, hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma, plasma cell infiltrates) is required.