Caution should be taken in using CD31 for distinguishing the vasculature of lymph nodes

Abstract

When interpreting lymph node biopsies it is sometimes necessary to distinguish the different compartments of the lymph node. In normal lymph nodes the task may be easily accomplished, but it can be difficult for effaced lymph nodes. We compared the usefulness of routinely used endothelial markers for distinguishing sinuses from vascular channels in the lymph node. Eighteen lymph nodes—seven normal lymph nodes from a patient with colonic cancer (patient 1), eight from a patient affected by diffuse large B cell lymphoma of the stomach (patient 2), and three from a patient with anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) (patient 3)—were selected from the archives of the department of pathology, Kariya General Hospital, Japan. The tissues were fixed in 10% …