E rosettes in lymphoproliferative diseases.

Results are given of investigations of E rosettes in patients with chronic lymphadenosis and malignant lymphoma. The quantity of E rosettes was expressed both as per cents and in absolute numbers calculated from the total amount of lymphocytes in peripheral blood. In the normal controls the percentage of E rosettes was 58% on average while in patients with chronic lymphadenosis it was found to have decreased significantly down to a mean of 6%. However, in absolute values the number of rosette forming lymphocytes was normal and even higher. In the group with malignant lymphoma the percentage decrease was less striking than in those with chronic lymphadenosis, however, the absolute number of rosette forming lymphocytes was always found to be lowered because of evident to considerable lymphopenia. A dynamic study of the observed changes might contribute to a knowledge of the pathophysiology of lymphoproliferative diseases.