Total Ki-67 stained area percentage was studied in 32 B and 46 T malignant lymphomas (ML) using two different image analyser systems (TAS, Leitz; SAMBA TM 2005, TITN) respectively. The total Ki-67 area percentage was highly correlated to the number of Ki-67 positive cellular profiles (B-ML, r = 0.93; T-ML, r = 0.88), indicating that area percentage is a reliable alternative method to the manual cell counting. Image analysis allows quicker measurements, appropriate to large and strictly lymphomatous regions. The cell image processor (SAMBA TM 2005, TITN) linked to a color video camera was more suitable for immunohistochemical sections and allowed more automated and faster measurements than the texture analyser (TAS, Leitz) linked with a black and white camera. Alkaline phosphatase technique with fast red as chromogen was more suitable for the detection of Ki-67 stained area by thresholding than peroxidase technique with aminoethylcarbazol or with diaminobenzidine as chromogens. Significant differences were found between low and high grade in B and T ML according to the Kiel classification (mean values +/- SD of 7.7 +/- 3.8% and 16.6 +/- 6.2% in B-ML and of 10.2 +/- 7.9% and 25.6 +/- 16.3% in T-ML respectively). In follicular B-ML, considering follicular areas only, values were comparable to high grade ML; angioimmunoblastic-lymphadenopathy-like (AILD-type) T-ML belonging to low grade ML showed similar values to pleomorphic T-ML with medium and/or large cells belonging to high grade ML.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)