Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
Multiplexed Fluorescent Immunohistochemical Staining, Imaging, and Analysis in Histological Samples of Lymphoma
Published on: January 9, 2019
Does functional imaging distinguish nodular lymphocyte-predominant hodgkin lymphoma from T-cell/histiocyte-rich large
Nicholas A Barber1, Fausto R Loberiza, Anamarija M Perry
1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA. nick.barber@unmc.edu
Background:
Nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is often associated with concurrent or subsequent development of T-cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma (THR-LBCL). Distinguishing the two is important because their therapies are different. Functional imaging with PET/CT is used to stage both Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Aggressive lymphomas are usually more PET avid than the indolent subtypes. Therefore, it is possible that PET/CT may help distinguish NLPHL from THR-LBCL.
Patients And Methods:
Herein, we retrospectively describe the clinical and PET/CT findings of 12 patients with NLPHL or THR-LBCL seen from 2004-2010.
Results And Conclusions:
Six patients each were identified and the average SUVmax was 6.9 (range, 5.7-7.3) in NLPHL and 16.6 (range, 4-29) in THR-LBCL (p = 0.055). Bone and extranodal involvement was found in one patient with NLPHL compared to four patients with THR-LBCL. This patient failed to respond to ABVD and was subsequently found to have THR-LBCL. We suggest that patients with NLPHL and THR-LBCL have different clinical and PET/CT characteristics. NLPHL patients had lower SUVmax on PET/CT compared to those with THR-LBCL. The presence of bone or extranodal involvement is more common in patients with THR-LBCL. Patients with NLPHL and an uncharacteristically higher SUVmax on PET/CT, or those with bone or extranodal involvement, should alert the clinician to consider the presence of THR-LBCL.
