Eye

Orbit & optic nerve

Lymphoma-orbit



Last author update: 1 February 2014
Last staff update: 15 February 2024

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PubMed Search: Lymphoma orbit

Nat Pernick, M.D.
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Cite this page: Pernick N. Lymphoma-orbit. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/eyeorbitlymphoma.html. Accessed March 29th, 2024.
Definition / general
  • Tumors composed of small lymphocytic proliferations confined to orbit are usually indolent and associated with long survival, even with minimal treatment
  • MALT lymphoma:
    • Uniform and monotonous proliferation of small lymphocytes infiltrating into orbital fat, blood vessels and nerves
    • May have plasmacytoid features with Dutcher bodies (intranuclear inclusions) and serum paraproteinemia
    • Light chain restriction
Radiology images

AFIP images
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Homogeneous tumor

Case reports
  • 5 year old girl with an angiocentric orbital lesion with an immature natural killer cell immunophenotype (Hum Pathol 2001;32:339)
  • Nasal-type NK/T cell lymphoma of the orbit with distant metastases (Hum Pathol 2003;34:290)
Clinical images

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Burkitt lymphoma: bilateral

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Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma: bilateral

Microscopic (histologic) images

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Low grade tumor
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Well differentiated lymphoma

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Irregularly shaped mass

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Uniform population of well differentiated lymphocytes

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Small cleaved cells

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Small population of T cells


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Numerous CD20+ B cells

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Burkitt lymphoma

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Granulocytic leukemia - Leder stain positive

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Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma - lymphoid cells, some with plasmacytic differentiation

Positive stains
  • Monotypic immunoglobulins
Differential diagnosis
  • Lymphoid hyperplasia:
    • Polymorphic lymphocytes, vascular proliferation, prominent follicles with germinal centers
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