The scope of this book includes several contro- apparent instability of
viewpoint and nomenclature versial areas and it is impossible to give an
account has made many wary. but it is hoped that an under- which
satisfies everyone. including the author. lying simple basis will allow
future changes to be However. the prime objective has been to aid in the
easily assimilated. interpretation of histopathological appearances in
Detailed accounts of methods of classification lymph nodes. To that end.
there is some attempt at are omitted. being widely available elsewhere.
nor rationalization whilst admitting that. in rationalizing is there any
attempt to be comprehensive. The biological processes. there is a danger
of distortion discussion is limited almost exclusively to the and
inconsistency. appearances in routine sections. stained with haema-
Normal structure and function of lymph nodes is toxylin and eosin. with
the addition of a few special taken as the backbone from which reactive
changes stains. since additional technical methods are not on the one
hand. and neoplastic transformation on always available. The limitations
that this imposes the other. can be seen to take their origin. Where the
are acknowledged. backbone itself is faulty. then there occur distur-
bances of immunological function. which engender another group of
histological changes. Lastly. Acknowledgements essentially systemic
disorders may be reflected in I should like to thank: lymph nodes. Mrs
Mary Wright who typed the manuscript; the This simple approach can be
used to bring order Technical Staff of the Histology Laboratory.
