Color Atlas of Hematology - Practical Microscopic and Clinical ...

Procedures, Assays, and Normal Values23Lymph Node Biopsy and Tumor BiopsyThese procedures, less invasive than bone marrow biopsy, are a simpleand often diagnostically sufficient method for lymph node enlargement orother intumescences. The unanesthetized, disinfected skin is sterilizedand pulled taut over the node. A no. 1 needle on a syringe with good suctionis pushed through the skin into the lymph node tissue (Fig. 7). Tissueis aspirated from several locations, changing the angle of the needleslightly after each collection, and suction maintained while the needle iswithdrawn into the subcutis. Aspiration ceases and the syringe is removedwithout suction. The biopsy harvest, which is in the needle, is extrudedonto a microscopy slide and smeared out without force or pressure using acover glass (spreader slide). Staining is done as described previously forblood smears.