• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.153-159
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• 1991

Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (LCH), known for histiocytosis X, is a clinicopathologic entity characterized by proliferation of Langerhans' cells (LCs) throughout the body including the reticuloendothelial system, bone, and skin. LCs is currently considered as a distinct type of histlocytic cells, not primarily phagocytic in nature. Recently, we could make the diagnosis on cytologic specimen in a 3 month-old-boy and a 3 year-old-boy. The cases were diagnosed on scraping smear from the skin and fine needle aspiration cytology from the lymph node, respectively. The characteristic cytologic features of Langerhans' cells were noted in the nuclei, namely eccentric, indented, elongated, and grooved nuclei. The cells also had abundant and acidophilic cytoplasm. The cytologic diagnoses were confirmed on the biopsies from the skin and lymph node, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 1994

Cancer of the cervix is the most common malignancy in women in developing countries and the second most common cancer in women throughout the world with approximately 500,000 new cases each year. Prevention of this large number of premature deaths among women is, therefore, a goal worthy of urgent and serious consideration. Due to its high diagnostic disagreement among pathologists and large quantity of specimens, it is necessary to develop an automatic screening system measuring morphologic and densitometric features of the samples. Many research works have been published but most of them used Feulgen stained specimens which are not a usual staining method used in clinics. In this thesis, an automatic cancerous nucleus detection method essential to a screening system with papanicolaou stained specimens called Pap-smear is proposed which employs image processing techniques. It uses edge information to segment objects and morphologic as well as densitometric information to distinguish cancerous nuclei from dirts or normal nuclei. It has produced useful results in our study.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.148-153
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• 1994

A prospective survey of sputum cytologic specimen was performed for 16 months from Jan. 1993 to Apr. 1994 in Presbyterian Medical Center. The purpose of this study is to find the positive rate of sputum cytology in the diagnosis of lung cancer and to correlate these results with tumor location and stage. Sputum cytologic specimen were received from 104 patients among 158 patients diagnosed as lung malignancy by histologic examination. Cytologic diagnosis of "suggestive of malignancy" was made in 61 patients (59%) and dysplasia in 9 patients(9%), atypia in 14 patients(13%), benign in 15 patients(14%) and inadequate specimen in 5 patients (5%), respectively. Among 84 patients beyond the cytologic diagnosis of atypia, 51 patients (61%) disclosed a central location, while 33 patients (39%) showed peripheral lesions. All 54 patients diagnosed as suggestive of non-small cell carcinoma were stage III or over, and all 7 patients diagnosed as suggestive of small cell carcinoma were in advanced stage. These results suggest that the cytologic examination of sputum seems to be an important tool in diagnosis of lung cancer.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.90-98
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• 1994

There has been a marked increase in the utility of aspiration cytology for pathologic diagnosis. It may be applied to any kinds of organs and substitutes surgical biopsy. Be cause of the high risk of complication and difficulties In localization, aspiration cytology in the central nervous system (CNS) has been used with less frequency compared to other sites. However, with the advent of sophisticated imaging instruments, aspiration cytology of lesions in the CNS is being used increasingly. We present cytologic features of brain tumors as well as corresponding histologic findings. Eight types of tumors were aspirated intraoperatively and stained with the Papanicolaou method; 1 anaplastic astrocytoma, 1 glioblastoma multiforme, 1 ependymoma, 1 malignant ependymoma, 1 central neurocytoma, 1 primitive neuroectodermal tumor, 1 benign neurogenic tumor and 1 germinoma. Cytologic features of the CNS neoplasms were quite similar to those of histology except one spindle cell tumor. Reviewing various CNS neoplasms, it appears that cytology may be a useful diagnostic method.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.74-78
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• 1994

A case of retroperitoneal paraganglioma is presented with fine needle aspiration cytologic features. A 57-year-old woman complained of abdominal discomfort and left flank pain for 2 years. The abdominal CT scan revealed an ovoid mass left to the abdominal aorta. Percutaneous fine needle aspiration was performed from the mass. The smear revealed cellular sheets or groups on hemorrhagic background. The tumor cells were ovoid, round to spindle shaped with mild to moderate cellular pleomorphism. The nuclei were round to ovoid and had evenly dispersed chromatin and small nucleoli. The cytoplasm was amphophilic, finely granular and poorly defined. Cells having large or spindle nuclei were quite frequently observed, however, mitosis was not present The cytologic findings suggested paraganglioma, but the frequent spindle cell pattern and the pleomorphism made it difficult to exclude other endocrine tumors and sarcomas. The clinical, histological and ultrastructural findings as well as cytologic findings contributed to confirmatory diagnosis.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 1994

Fine needle aspiration cytologic features of a case of insular carcinoma of the thyroid in a 23-year-old woman who presented a palpable neck mass is described. The aspirate showed cellular smear arranged in trabeculae, solid or loose clusters, and microfillicles in necrotic background. The tumor cells had uniform, small round, hyperchromatic nuclei. The chromatin was finely granular, and nuclear membrane was smooth. Nucleoli were not discernible. Nuclear pleomorphism was minimal. The cytoplasm was usually scanty, pale, poorly outlined, and almostly amphophilic. Sometimes paranuclear cytoplasmic vacuoles were noted. final diagnosis was confirmed by total thyroidectomy as insular carcinoma.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 1994

A case of poorly differentiated "insular" carcinoma of the thyroid is presented and discussed with references to the literature. Un fine needle aspiration cytology of our case, the aspirates were highly cellular with tumor cells appearing as dispersed isolated cells as well as in dense clusters and syncytial formations. Occasional microfollicles containing colloid were evident. Most of nuclei were fairly uniform with considerable variability and a few showed definite atypical features. Nuclear grooving was additional features. Necrotic debris was not seen. Our cytologic findings were correlated well with histology, confirming typical insular pattern of tumor cells with the presence of occasional pleomorphic cells and papillary carcinoma-like features. With much attention to cytological features of insular carcinoma, it would be possible to diagnose a preoperative suggestive diagnosis, even though not definitive.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2006

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT), normally referred to as inflammatory pseudotumor, is a fairly rare condition. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of IMT has only rarely been reported. Here, we describe one such case of pulmonary inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor. A 30-year-old man presented with a 2.8cm-sized mass in his lung. Chest CT revealed a well defined, poorly enhancing mass. FNAC showed some fascicular or swirled clusters of spindle cells, admixed with occasional inflammatory cells and foamy histiocytes. The majority of the tumor cells evidenced bland, elongated nuclei, but infrequent pleomorphic nuclei. Some of the tumor cells evidenced nuclear grooves and intranuclear inclusions. Although the cytological differentiation of IMT from malignant lesions is not immensely problematic, due to the general paucity of cytological and nuclear atypia, a definite cytological diagnosis of IMT cannot be rendered simply by FNAC. Therefore, a diagnosis of IMT may be suggested via exclusive diagnosis.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.46-50
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• 2006

A micropapillary variant of urothelial carcinoma (MPC) is a distinct entity with an aggressive clinical course. It has a micropapillary configuration resembling that of ovarian papillary serous carcinoma. Its cytologic features have rarely been reported. We report a case of MPC detected by urine cytology. A woman aged 93 years presented with a chief complaint of macroscopic hematuria. Cytology of her voided urine showed clusters of malignant cells in a micropapillary configuration. Each tumor cell had a vacuolated cytoplasm, a high nuclear:cytoplasmic ratio, and irregular hyperchromatic nuclei. An ureteroscopic examination revealed exophytic sessile papillary masses extending from the left lateral wall to the anterolateral wall of the urinary bladder. A transurethral resection of the tumor was carried out. The tumor was characterized by delicate papillae with a thin, well-developed fibrovascular stromal core and numerous secondary micropapillae lined with small cuboidal cells containing uniform low- to intermediate-grade nuclei and occasional intracytoplasmic mucinous inclusions. These tumor cells infiltrated the muscle layers of the bladder, and lymphatic tumor emboli were frequently seen. Recognizing that the presence of MPC components in urinary cytology is important for distinguishing this lesion from low-grade papillary lesions and high-grade urothelial carcinomas can result in early detection and earlier treatment for an improved treatment outcome.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.51-55
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• 2006

The plasmacytoid variant is an extremely rare form of urothelial carcinoma in which the malignant cells resemble those of plasmacytoma. We report the cytologic features of 3 cases of this disorder. All 3 patients were male and presented with painless macroscopic hematuria. The voided urine cytology revealed a few scattered clusters of tumor cells in a bloody background. Each tumor cell had an abundant amount of cytoplasm that was clear or densely stained and characterized by eccentrically located nuclei. A histological examination of tissue obtained from a radical cystectomy confirmed the cytologic diagnosis in each 3 case, revealing a diffusely infiltrating tumor composed of round, noncohesive tumor cells demonstrating a high nuclear grade. These cells had infiltrated the tunica propria in 2 cases, but were limited to the submucosa in 1 case. The tumor cells were plasmacytoid in appearance, each demonstrating an eccentric nucleus and dense cytoplasm, as seen in the cytologic findings. All of the tumors were immunoreactive for pancytokeratin, CK7, CK20; negative for epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), leukocyte common antigen (LCA), kappa, lambda, and CD79a. Thus, it is important to consider the plasmacytoid variant of urothelial carcinoma in addition to plasmacytoma or lymphoma as a diagnosis when encountering plasmacytoid tumor cells in a voided urine sample.