Probability in lymph node sectioning

Abstract

The commonly employed methods of sectioning lymph nodes can account for a greater than 30% false pathologic interpretation when studying nodes for the presence of tumor. The failure to identify a tumor within a lymph node is related to the size of the lymph node, size of the lesion, number of sections examined, and the location of the tumor within the node. Analysis of these variables is approached by applying mathematical and computer formulation to numerous model nodes containing lesions of variable size and location. The percentage probabilities of identifying various sized lesions in different sized nodes is calculated in graphic form. These studies propose a functional method of lymph node sectioning which is applicable to improved sectioning technique.