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Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), not otherwise specified – immunoblastic morphological variant

BM MGG (1000×)

This variant is even more rare in bone marrow involvement of DLBCL than the centroblastic variant. Tumour cells resemble immunoblasts, i.e. cells with an appearance of blasts which are large to very large (green arrow) with plentiful basophilic cytoplasm and a large nucleus containing a prominent central nucleolus. Other cells in the picture can also belong to tumour cells but their actual presentation does not allow their detailed specification.

BM MGG (1000×)

In the immunoblastic variant of DLBCL, more than 90% of tumour cells are immunoblasts, each containing a centrally located nucleolus and an appreciable amount of basophilic cytoplasm (green arrow).

BM MGG (1000×)

The tumour cells (immunoblasts) must be distinguished from early erythroid precursors. The tumour cells (green arrows) have one or more nucleoli with a lighter appearance and less basophilic cytoplasm. By contrast, a proerythroblast (red arrow) has a deeply basophilic cytoplasm, a different chromatin structure and rather dark nucleoli.

Atlas of Haematological Cytology [online]. 2016 [cit. 2024-3-29]. Available from WWW: http://www.leukemia-cell.org/atlas.

2024 CELL - Atlas of Haematological Cytology | site map