• 대한세포병리학회지
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.27-33
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• 2008

Although subacute granulomatous thyroiditis(SGT) is usually diagnosed clinically, papillary carcinoma or other thyroid conditions must be considered in the differential diagnosis. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and fine-needle aspiration(FNA) cytologic findings seen in 10 SGT cases to decide what are the most reliable cytologic findings and the most helpful molecular tools for reaching a confident cytologic diagnosis. The most representative smear slides were retrieved to perform immunocytochemistry for cytokeratin 19(CK19) and Ret protein. Five papillary carcinomas(PTCs) were included as controls. The constant and typical cytologic findings of SGT were multinucleated giant cells(MGCs) (100%), epithelioid granulomas(90%), an inflammatory dirty background(90%) and plump transformed follicular cells(80%) without fire-flare cells, oncocytic cells or transformed lymphocytes. The immunoreactivities for CK19(37.5%) and Ret(10%) of the follicular cells of SGT were less than those(CK19 and Ret:100%) of PTC. CK19 immunoreactivity of the MGCs was seen in only one case of PTC. There was no significant difference between CK19 and Ret immunocytochemical staining for the MGCs of both SGT and PTC. The results of this study demonstrate that the cytological diagnosis of SGT can be improved by employing a combination of the typical and constant diagnostic cytological features and immunocytochemical results.

• 대한세포병리학회지
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.18-24
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• 2005

The objective of this study was to ascertain whether or not the high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) test, when coupled with Papanicolaou (Pap) smears, would prove useful in the screening and management of patients in whom abnormal Pap smear results had been obtained. Concomitant high-risk HPV detection using the hybrid capture II test and colposcopy with a Pap smear were performed with 176 patients, all of whom had been screened for both cervical carcinoma and precancerous lesions. We concomitantly performed colposcopies on these patients. Upon the follow-ups, the histologic diagnoses of these patients were confirmed via either biopsy or hysterectomy. The rate of high-risk HPV detection was correlated with cytologic diagnoses and colposcopic findings. The group composed of the high-risk HPV-positive ASCUS patients exhibited a 55.7% rate of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), a significantly higher rate than the 7.5% result obtained in the high-risk HPV-negative ASCUS group. HPV test showed high sensitivity (87%) and low specificity (62.6%) in detection of CIN and colposcopy also showed high sensitivity (88%) and low specificity (22%). Any combination of these tests improve sensitivity, but not specificity. High-risk HPV tests, when coupled with Pap smears, constituted a useful triage approach with regard to colposcopy-directed biopsies in patients in whom a cytologic diagnosis of ASCUS had been rendered.

• 대한세포병리학회지
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.39-43
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• 2001

Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is an unusual intrathoracic blastoma presenting in childhood and charac-terized by a biphasic neoplastic population of undifferentiated, small round blastemal cells and larger spindle-shaped sarcomatous cells with entrapped benign epithelial-lined structures. We experienced the cytologic features of PPB in imprint smear from the pleural-based huge mass of the middle lobe of the right lung in a 4-year-old boy. The smears showed high cellularity composed of small ovoid blastemal elements and scattered spindle mesenchymal tumor cells. Lobectomy and pathologic investigation confirmed the diagnosis. PPB seems to be a tumor in which accurate diagnosis may be achieved by cytoiogy if appro-priate clinical information were given. Timely and accurate diagnosis of PPB by cytology paves the way for attempting preoperative treatment in future cases.

• 대한세포병리학회지
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.147-153
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• 1998

We have investigated the cervicovaginal smears in order to define the cytologic features of uterine adenocarcinomas. Total 22 cases were reviewed(12 cases from the Sanggye Paik hospital, Inje university and 10 cases from the Korea Cancer Center Hospital) from January 1992 to December 1997. Five cases were endometrial adenocarcinomas and the remaining 17 cases were cervical adenocarcinomas. Seventeen cases of cervical adenocarcinomas were divided into endometrioid(6 cases), endocervical(7 cases), mixed endometrioid and endocervical(1 case), papillary (2 cases), and adenosquamous(1 case) carcinomas. The background of endocervical adenocarcinoma was hemorrhagic or inflammatory. The tumor diathesis was less prominent than that of the squamous cell carcinoma. The prominent features of the endocervical type adenocarcinomas were large and loose clusters, large intracytoplasmic vacuoles, and prominent overlapping and peripheral palisading of nuclei. In contrast, the endometrioid adenocarcinomas showed small and compact clusters, and small intracytoplasmic vacuoles. The detection rate of endometrial adenocarcinoma was lower than that of the endocervical adenocarcinoma.

• 대한세포병리학회지
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.187-191
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• 1998

Alveolar soft part sarcoma(ASPS) is a rare malignant neoplasm with a distinct clinicopathologic entity of which fine needle aspiration(FNA) cytologic findings have been described in only a few reports. Although patients usually present with an isolated soft-tissue mass in the extremity, metastasis can occur in about 13 % of total cases and the most frequent metastatic site is the lung. We have recently experienced a FNA cytologic case of ASPS in the lung. A 23-year-old female patient was admitted to this hospital due to 2-month-history of cough She had been good in health before the visit. Chest computed tomography revealed multiple, variable sized, bilateral pulmonary nodules. Physical examination and other staging work up revealed no other lesions except for pulmonary nodules. A percutaneous transthoracic FNA was performed from the pulmonary nodules. The smear was cellular and most cells were arranged singly. In addition, a few clusters lined by thin-walled vasculature with a pseudoalveolar pattern were present. Some of the tumor cells were large and polygonal lo oval with abundant granular or vacuolated cytoplasm. Most cells were naked nuclei showing finely granular chromatin pattern with prominent central nucleoli.

• 대한세포병리학회지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.71-75
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• 2003

Uterine stromal tumors with features of ovarian sex-cord differentiation are relatively rare. The neoplasms composed of sex cord-like components in more than 50% of the tumor are classified as group II. We report the cytologic findings of a case of uterine tumor resembling ovarian sex-cord tumor. The cervical smears of a 62-year-old woman with submucosal tumor showed loose aggregates of spindle cells as well as glandular or tubular structures of round cells with a distinct ceil membrane and a prominent small nucleolus. Because uterine stromal tumor can have sex cord differentiation, its possibility should be considered in the interpretation of cervical smears.

• 대한세포병리학회지
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.87-92
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• 1993

The effect of Roentgen rays on carcinoma of the cervix has long been of great interest to both radiologists and gynecologists. Since most cervical carcinomas are treated by irradiation, any additional knowledge either concerning the radiosensitivity of cervical tumors or their ultimate prognosis would be of value. The vaginal smear is considered to be one of convenient and rapid methods to study the effects of radiation on cervical malignancy. We observed morphologic changes in 297 cytologic preparations obtained from 60 patients who had underwent irradiation for cancer of the cervix. With the morphologic parameters such as cytoplasmic vacuolization, cytoplasmic basophilia, multinucleated giant cell formation, polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNL) sticking and postradiation dysplasia, we analyzed the findings in relation to the follow up time interval. The most common effect was the cytoplasmic vacuolization with basophilia of basaloid cells, which were noted in more than 90% of followed patients. The multinucleated giant ceil formation and PMNL stickering were noted in 38 cases(63%) and 48 cases(80% ) respectively. The differential diagnosis of postradiation dysplasia from recurrent or persistent carcinoma, reparative atypical cells, and regressing tumor cells was difficult and further study seems to be needed to clarify the more accurate morphologic features and biologic behavior.

• 대한세포병리학회지
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.58-61
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• 1995

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy has become the procedure of choice for initial diagnosis of adrenal masses. However, there have been relatively few reports discussing the FNA cytologic features of adrenal cortical carcinoma. Recently, we experienced a case of FNA cytology of bilateral adrenal cortical carcinoma in a 61-year old man. The smear revealed loosely cohesive pleomorphic tumor cells with hemorrhagic and necrotic background. The tumor cells showed oval to spindle hyperchromatic nuclei and prominent nucleoli with frequent mitotic figures. The cytoplasm of tumor cells was relatively abundant and sometimes vacuolated. These cytologic findings were interpreted as an ad renal cortical carcinoma, undifferentiated pattern.

• 대한세포병리학회지
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.47-51
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• 2008

Adenomatoid tumor is a benign neoplasm of a mesothelial origin, and it usually occurs in the reproductive organs, especially in the epididymis. The author experienced a case of adenomatoid tumor involving the tunica albuginea and testicular parenchyme without any evidence of epididymis involvement. The patient was a 36-year-old man with a painless scrotal mass that he had experienced for 2 months, and this mimicked testicular neoplasia, including metastatic carcinoma, or other benign lesions. The imprint cytology of the tumor showed a hypocellular smear with mainly arranged cells in cohesive monolayered clusters along with occasional singly dispersed cells and naked nuclei in a clean background. The cellular clusters formed vague glandular and cord-like structures. The tumor cells were large polygonal to columnar cells with a relatively monomorphic appearance. The nuclei were oval to round shape and they showed vesicular, fine chromatin and inconspicuous nucleoli. The cytoplasm was moderate to abundant, and it contained fine vacuoles in some tumor cells. Mitoses and cellular pleomorphism were not present. Awareness of the cytologic finding of this lesion is necessary to screen or differentiate a testicular or paratesticular mass before and/or during surgery because the cytology may be useful as a diagnostic tool. Pathologists should be aware of the cytologic features of common lesions in this anatomic region so as to avoid performing aggressive and unnecessary surgical procedures.

• 대한세포병리학회지
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• 제18권2호
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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.