[Morphology of histological subgroups of Hodgkin's disease (author's transl)]

The morphological criteria for the subclassification of Hodgkin's disease were studied in order to obtain a better appreciation of their diagnostic value. We could not separate a specific criterion which would alone permit the diagnosis of a subgroup of Hodgkin's disease. However, the combination of different morphological features including form and frequency of the diagnostic Reed-Sternberg-cells improves the reproducibility of subgrouping Hodgkin's disease. According to their diagnostic significance we consider important: for the LD diffuse infiltration of the lymphnode with few Reed-Sternberg-cells and discret inflammatory reaction; for the MC heavy inflammatory reaction, occasionally with necrosis, numerous diagnostic Reed-Sternberg-cells, occasionally focal involvement in the lymphnode and appearence of birefringent collagen fibers; for the NS the lacunar cells and nodular arrangement of birefringent collagen fibers; for the LP the pleomorphism of the Reed-Sternberg-cells, collagen fibers without birefringency. Based on morphological ressemblance of the nuclei we assume that the tumor cells represent malignant lymphocytes; we consider therefore Hodgkin's disease as a lymphocytic lymphoma.