Diagnosis of hematopoietic processes by fine-needle aspiration in conjunction with flow cytometry: A review of 127 cases.

Although fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is accepted as the method of choice for the initial evaluation of lymph nodes for metastatic carcinomas, its utility as the initial diagnostic procedure for hematopoietic processes is less established. We review our experience over a 3-year period with 127 FNA cases accompanied by flow cytometric (FC) analysis from 117 patients. Fifty cases had subsequent histologic examination. A hematopoietic process was identified in 85 cases, a reactive process in 27 cases, and a nonhematopoietic process in 15 cases. All non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) were B-cell processes except for one T-cell lymphoma. By FNA/FC, 44 NHL had sufficient findings to be subtyped; of these, 27 had subsequent histologic examination. The correlation between the FNA/FC and histologic classification in these cases of NHL was 100%. One case was insufficient for diagnosis by FNA and six cases were inadequate for FC. We conclude that FNA in conjunction with FC can be used as the initial diagnostic approach for both primary and recurrent hematopoietic processes.

Testing of medical electrical and hospital laboratory equipment: DHSS recognition of the BSI Test House, Hemel Hempstead.

A new product must meet an ever-increasing number of requirements to be acceptable for the consumer, whether the product is to be marketed within the country of manufacture or exported. The requirements often vary between the consumers and between countries. The paper discusses the formalised requirements for medical electrical and hospital laboratory equipment. The British Standards Institution's Test House has recently been formally recognised by the Department of Health & Social Security for testing such equipment to HTM8 and ESCHLE.

Septicaemia due to Pasteurella pneumotropica.

The literature concerning Pasteurella pneumotropica infection in animals and man is briefly reviewed and a case presented in which the organism was the cause of septicaemia in a patient receiving chemotherapy for myeloid leukaemia. Bacteriological findings are recorded and compared with those of other authors.