Pseudoclonality in cutaneous pseudolymphomas: a pitfall in interpretation of rearrangement studies

Abstract

B-cell and T-cell pseudoclones are not uncommonly encountered in moderately dense pseudolymphomatous infiltrates (23% and 13%, respectively). B-cell clonality is seen occasionally in pseudolymphomatous infiltrates (13%), especially when they are sparse in B lymphocytes. Therefore, rearrangement studies cannot be interpreted without correlation with morphological patterns and immunophenotyping of infiltrates and they need to be confirmed by duplicate or triplicate tests in order to prevent overinterpretation.