Splenic B-cell lymphoma with villous lymphocytes (SLVL). A lymphocytic lymphoma simulating hairy cell leukemia. A study of 8 cases.

Splenic B cell lymphoma with circulating villous lymphocytes (SLVL) is a lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by the presence in the peripheral blood of atypical B-lymphocytes with hairy appearance. Although the clinical features with massive splenomegaly, absence of peripheral lymphadenopathy and blood cytopenia may mimic hairy cell leukemia (HCL), precise analysis of the morphologic and immunologic features allow differential diagnosis between these two entities. Bone marrow and spleen histology resemble the pattern in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We studied 8 patients with this entity illustrating the difficulty of diagnosis between SLVL and HCL.