Algorithm for immunophenotyping of low-grade B lymphomas.

In September 1994, Harris et al' published their Proposal for a Revised European-American Classification of Lymphoid Neoplasms. We have found their report extremely useful for practical work and consider i t a great step forward in the understanding of the biologic behavior of lymphomas for the following reasons. (1) They postulated the presumed normal counterpm of the lymphoma cell and also defined i t with the immune markers. (2) They based their classification on the functional compartments of lymphocytes. (3) They stressed the most important immune markers in every group of lymphomas. Following their concept and recommendations, we have made, for practical reasons, an algorithmic scheme for the most characteristic immunophenotypes in every entity of low-grade B lymphomas (Fig 1 ). To improve the cost-benefit effects of our diagnostic procedure, we divided monoclonal antibodies used in flow cytometric analysis into two groups. (1) A basic panel (CD19, CD5, CD23. and CDIO)