Ultrastructural appearance of malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and lymphoid leukemias

In this report the authors show the main ultrastructural features of malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and lymphoid leukemias, trying to outline the more important findings useful to diagnostic purpose. Since, from an immunologic point of view, lymphoid malignancies reflect the main steps of normal B and T ontogenesis, the various tumours are progressively presented in relation to their stage of phenotypic differentiation. An exact knowledge of the potential information from electron microscopy and its intrinsic limitations, including the high cost and the time expense, permit a correct use of this investigation in diagnostic procedure in lymphoid malignancies.