“Reed-Sternberg Cells” in Infectious Mononucleosis?

Abstract

Tindle, Barbara H., Parker, John W., and Lukes, Robert J.: “Reed-Sternberg cells” in infectious mononucleosis? Am. J. Clin. Pathol. 58: 607–617, 1972. The morphologic features of infectious mononucleosis are distinctive and in lymphoid tissue include a predominance of cytoplasmic or activated lymphocytes (Downey cells) and immunoblasts. The histologic process is unlike that of Hodgkin’s disease, but is associated with binucleated and multinucleated cells, some of which are indistinguishable morphologically from diagnostic Reed-Sternberg cells. The lack of specificity of the Reed-Sternberg cell, in the absence of the other histologic features of Hodgkin’s disease, is emphasized. Although prolonged follow-up is not yet available in the eight cases which are the basis of this study, the cells are interpreted as part of the basic proliferative process of infectious mononucleosis, rather than an indication of incipient Hodgkin’s disease.