The vacuolated glycogen-laden leukemic lymphocytes of a T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder.

In this report, we present a case of peripheral T-cell leukemia/lymphoma having mostly small- to medium-sized cells with abundant clear cytoplasmic vacuoles. The presentation at the time of diagnosis was one of leukemia/lymphoma. The phenotype of the leukemic cells of the peripheral blood was T1+, T11+, TQ1+, interleukin-2+, T3-, T4-, and T8-. The cells in the peripheral blood as well as those obtained from lymph node biopsy were strongly periodic acid-Schiff positive; the positivity was diastase sensitive. Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of glycogen in the cytoplasmic vacuoles. Serologic tests were negative for human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 antibody. The data presented in this article support the existence of a vacuolated variant of peripheral T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and further expand the morphological spectrum of T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders.