A 35-year-old woman presents with cervical lymphadenopathy. Biopsy shows nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma. The Reed-Sternberg (RS) cell variant most characteristic of this subtype is:

• A Lymphocytic and histiocytic (L&H) cell (popcorn cell)
• B Mononuclear RS variant
• C Pleomorphic RS cell
• D Lacunar cell ✓

Explanation

The lacunar cell is the characteristic RS variant in nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma; it has a multilobated nucleus and abundant pale cytoplasm that retracts during formalin fixation, creating an empty space (lacuna) around the cell. The L&H (popcorn) cell is characteristic of lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma. Mononuclear variants are seen in mixed cellularity, and pleomorphic cells characterise the lymphocyte-depleted subtype.

Reference: Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.