• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.175-178
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• 1999

Hyalinizing trabecular adenoma is an uncommon benign thyroid tumor that is recently described in the literature. This tumor is easily confused with medullary carcinoma on surgical specimens and with papillay carcinoma on cytologic specimens. Herein we report the cytologic characteristics of a case of histologically proven hyalinizing trabecular adenoma of the thyroid gland. Cytologically, the aspirate showed trabecular or individually dispersed polygonal cells with finely stippled chromatin pattern, nuclear grooves, and eosinophilic nuclear pseudoinclusions. No colloid materials were noted in the background.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.213-219
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• 1998

Glycogen-rich clear ceil carcinoma of the breast is an unusual variant of carcinoma with a recorded incidence of $1.4{\sim}3%$ of breast carcinomas. The cytologic characteristics have not been well described. We report two cases of glycogen-rich clear cell carcinoma with corresponding fine needle aspiration(FNA) cytologic findings and compare them to infiltrating ductal carcinoma and other clear ceil malignancies with a review of literature. One was a 62-year-old woman exhibiting a palpable mass of the right breast. The smears showed atypical tight cell clusters and individually scattered single cells containing leanly or clear abundant cytoplasm with well defined cytoplasmic margins. Mild to moderate nuclear pleomorphism and a prominent nucleolus were present. The other was a 42-year-old woman who was admitted with a right breast mass. The smears showed moderately cellular, tightly cohesive tumor cells. The cytoplasmic outline was generally well demarcated. The tumor cells Contained foamy to clear abundant cytoplasm with large and small vacuoles. The nuclear pleomorphism was marked. Both tumors resected by modified radical mastectomy, were diagnosed as glycogen-rich clear cell carcinoma. Histologically, the clear cell nature of tumor cells were not characteristic enough to predict this type of the tumor. Some cytologic features can be distinguished other clear cell breast cancer from glycogen-rich carcinoma. Recognition of these unusual patterns in a breast FNAC should raise the suspicion of a clear cell carcinoma including glycogen-rich subtype. Cytological localization of glycogen using PAS and D-PAS staining may permit the correct Identification and differential diagnosis of this tumor.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.189-193
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• 1999

Objectives: Fine needle aspiration cytology(FNAC) is a well established preoperative diagnostic procedure in the thyroid nodules. However, diagnostic accuracy of FNAC varies according to the size and the structural characteristics of thyroid nodule. We performed the ultrasound guided FNAC(US-guided FNAC) for impalpable thyroid nodule, and estimated the sampling accuracy rate through a comparison study between the cytologic diagnosis and the final histologic diagnosis of the postoperative specimens in order to determine clinical efficacy of the US-guided FNAC. Materials and Methods: We evaluated 117 patients underwent US-guided FNAC from January 1997 to December 1998. These patients had 129 thyroid nodules to need cytologic examination. Whereas the nodules were so no graphically classified into cystic, solid, and mixed type according to echo pattern, the aspirated thyroid specimens were classified into benign, malignant, suspicious, and insufficient. Results: Positive sampling for diagnositc examination was achieved in 75 nodules(58.1%), and US-guided FNAC in our study showed the accuracy rate of 95.2%, false positivity rate of 0%, and false negativity rate of 5.5%. Conclusions: US-guided FNAC is a powerful techniques for evaluating cytologic characterics and allowing a reliable diagnositc result in the impalpable thyroid nodule. However, the experienced technique is recommanded in order to obtain the sufficient samples for reliable results.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.76-82
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• 1997

Two cases of pulmonary atypical carcinoid tumor were diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology. Although the cytologic features of atypical carcinoid tumor have been relatively well described, it is easy to confuse atypical carcinoid tumor with typical carcinoid tumor, small cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the lung. Atypical carcinoid tumor has been recognized as a distinct variant of pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma, with characteristic histopathologic and clinical features that separate it from both carcinoid and small cell carelnoma. The distinction of atypical carcinoid tumor from small cell carcinoma has important prognostic and therapeutic implications. The cytologic characteristics of atypical carcinoid tumor included polygonal to fusiform cells with a variable amount of lacy cytoplasm, oval nuclei with coarsely dispersed chromatin and frequent nucleoli, and mild pleomorphism. The malignant cells were arranged either in acinus-like clusterg or in epithelial sheets.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.201-205
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• 1998

Adenoma malignum is an extremely well-differentiated variant of cervical adenocarcinoma in which the cells composing the tumor lack the typical cytological features of malignancy. The prognosis of this rare tumor is poor in spite of high degree of differentiation. The cytologic characteristics are extremely bland so frequently make a confusion of adenoma mailgnum with endocervical glandular hyperplasia. We report a case of adenoma malignum in a 35-year-old woman who complained of mucoid vaginal discharge and vaginal bleeding. The cervicovaginal smear showed endocervical cells exhibiting a spectrum of atypical chances. The cells were arranged in multilayered strips and monolayered sheets. Individual cells ranged from cuboidal to columnar; typically the columnar cells had abundant lacy or vacuolated cytoplasm. The smear showed the majority of only atypical cells and small numbers of frankly malignant cells.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.88-91
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• 1996

A primary squamous cell carcinoma of the breast was evaluated by fine needle aspiration cytology in a 60 year-old female. Squamous cell carcinoma is a rarely encountered lesion in the breast and nine cases of cytologic findings of mammary squamous cell carcinoma have been reported in the world literature. Our case appears to be one of these rare pure squamous cell tumors. The cytologic diagnosis was possible because of the well defined characteristics of the malignant squamous cells, similar to those found in other locations. Thorough examination of the patient did not reveal squamous cell carcinoma elsewhere.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.133-142
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• 2007

Cytologic diagnosis of the metastatic tumors to the thyroid is important in the management of the patients. There have been rare reports analyzing fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology of metastatic tumors to the thyroid. This study examines comprehensive cytologic findings of metastatic tumors to the thyroid with radiologic findings. The FNA cytology slides obtained from 12 cases with metastatic tumors of the thyroid; lung cancer (n=5), tongue and tonsil cancer (n=3), esophageal cancer (n=2), and breast cancer (n=2) were reviewed. Radiological study showed single mass with heterogeneous texture or multiple masses without calcification. Metastatic tumor was easily considered in a differential diagnosis of FNA cytology because they had peculiar cytological features which were not seen in primary thyroid tumor. The smear background varied from predominantly necrotic, bloody, and inflammatory to colloid. The aspirates exhibited a mixture of benign follicular cells and malignant cells in 6 cases. The characteristic cytoplasmic features of the tumor cells, such as keratin, mucin and melanin, were found in 9 cases. Although some cases mimic primary thyroid neoplasm, a careful examination of the cytological characteristics may help cytopathologists to recognize a metastatic tumor in the thyroid by FNA, and may help the clinicians to establish a proper treatment plan.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to describe the cellular characteristics of endometrial hyperplasia without/with atypia in cervical smears. These cellular features were compared with those of normal endometrium and endometrial carcinoma. We reviewed 265 cervical smears : 64 normal proliferative endometrium, 118 endometrial hyperplasia without atypia, 21 endometrial hyperplasia with atypia, and 62 endometrial adenocarcinoma. Of these smears, 72(27.2%) smears which had diagnostic endometrial epithelial cells were selected for this study. The cytologic abnormalities about cellularity, background, changes in cellular architecture, alterations in nuclear size, anisokaryosis, chromatin pattern, nucleoli, cytoplasmic vacuoles, and mitosis were observed. Nuclear enlargement(1.6 to 2 times of the nucleus in the intermediate squamous cell) and anisokaryosis(${\geq}$2 fold in size variation) were highly suggestive of endometrial hyperplasia without/with atypia. The nuclei from endometrial hyperplasia with atypia were more coarsely granular in chromatin patterns than hyperplasia without atypia(33.3% vs 3.4%). Micronucleoli were observed in all endometrial conditions, but the presence of macronucleoli were more suggestive of hyperplasia with atypia(22.2%) and adenocarcinoma(55%). The changes in cellular architecture(loss of polarity, uneven internuclear distance, overlapping and loose arrangement) were seen in hyperplasia with atypia and adenocarcinoma. Characteristically, bloody background was seen in endometrial hyperpiasia, and cellular detritus or granular proteinaceous material was only observed in endometrial adenocarcinoma. Mitoses were also observed in adenocarcinoma. In conclusion, although there is no single parameter useful for the cytologic differential diagnosis of endometrial lesions, combined cytologic evaluation can be used to diagnose hyperplasia cytologically.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.35-46
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• 1997

The authors reviewed 167 malignant effusions from 110 patients, of which the primary site was established on the basis of either biopsy or surgical resection of the primary neoplasm. Main factors analysed were the distribution of primary organs and the cytohistoiogic correlation of body cavity effusions. The 167 fluid specimens from 110 patients consisted of 90 cases(53.9%) of pleural, 68(40.7%) of peritoneal, and 9(5.4%) of pericardial origins. Histologically they consisted of 82 cases(74.5%) of adenocarcinoma, 8(7.3%) of malignant lymphoma, 6(5.5%) of squamous ceil carcinoma, and 3(2.7%) of small cell carcinoma. The most common site among the primary lesions was the stomach in 25 cases(22.7%) followed by the lung in 21(19.1%), ovary on 17(15.5%), and breast in 7(6.4%). As for the distribution of primary tumors in adenocarcinoma, the most common site was lung un 16 cases (48.5%) in pleural fluid and stomach in 22(48.9%) in peritoneal fluid. In pericardial effusions, all 5 cases were from the lung. As a whole, the cytologic findings of malignant effusion were fairly representative of histologic characteristics of primary lesions. Thus, when the primary lesion Is unknown, careful evaluation of effusion cytology is presumed to be a helpful tooi for tracing the primary tumor.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.98-102
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• 1990

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is a rare embryonic malignant tumor of the liver. Most morphological studies on HB have limited to the histological characteristics and only 3 cases of HB have been described in the cytology literature. We present 2 cases of HB occurring in children aged 1 year and 3 years, respectively. The distinctive cytologic features of fine needle aspiration of HB were clusters of tumor cells showing acinar and trabecular pattern, smaller tumor cells with a high nuclear-cytopalsmic ratio and hyperchromatic nuclei having prominent nucleoli, and the presence of extramedullary hematopoiesis and osteoid material. These features were also found in the cell block and the biopsy specimen, and appeared very useful in the differentiation of HB from hepatocellular carcinoma.