• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.112-118
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• 2007

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has become a highly preferred, minimally invasive diagnostic tool of choice in the diagnosis of a palpable breast mass owing to its sensitivity, specificity, cost-effectiveness, and expediency. Although breast needle biopsies have been widely employed recently due to the increased detection rate of non-palpable early lesions, the importance of the use of FNAC cannot be underestimated. It comprises part of the diagnostic triad for the breast along with a physical examination and mammography, which together contribute to an increasing diagnostic accuracy. The differential diagnosis of a benign and malignant lesion is of the utmost importance in the diagnosis of breast lesions, and therefore the understanding of the possible diagnostic pitfalls is of great importance.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.115-119
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• 2000

Alveolar soft part sarcoma is a rare soft tissue tumor. Few cases on fine needle aspiration cytology have been reported in the literature. We experienced a case of recurrent alveolar soft part sarcoma of the right thigh diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology in a 47-year-old man. Cytologic findings showed single cells and clusters associated with thin wailed vasculature in a distinct pseudo-alveolar pattern. The tumor cells exhibited round or ovoid abundant granular cytoplasm and large pleomorphic nuclei with prominent central nucleoli.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 1998

Primary breast lesions diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology, confirmed by histologic examination were analyzed by morphometry to evaluate the difference between benign and malignant lesions, and the methods obtaining the sample. four size factors and 5 form factors were evaluated in 22 fibroadenomas and 20 carcinomas by image analyzer(Zeiss Ibas 2000) using the H-E stained slides. Nuclear size was significantly larger in the carcinoma cells than fibroadenoma cells both in the cytology and biopsy specimens, but the form factors were not significantly different. Both fibroadencma and carcinoma cells were significantly larger in cytologic smear than histologic section. The cells in the cytology were more regular and round than those in histology, but not statistically significant. Fibroadenomas having cellular proliferation and atypism exhibited larger size and more irregular nuclei than non-proliferative fibroadenoma, but not statistically significant. Therefore nuclear morphometric analysis can be a helpful method to diagnose the questionable breast lesions and is a method appropriate for use as a quality control procedure in the fine needle aspiration cytology.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.233-239
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• 1998

Clear ceil sarcoma(CCS) is an uncommon soft tissue sarcoma that occurs in tendons and aponeuroses, usually of the lower extremities and is believed to be of neural crest origin that have a capability to produce melanin. These tumors commonly metastasize and have a very poor prognosis. The fine needle aspiration cytologic finding of CCS is not well documented. We recently experienced a case of CCS. The patient was a 54-year-old male with painful swelling of the right inguinal area. Fine needle aspiration cytology revealed polygonal or fusiform tumor cells with clear or granular cytoplasm and vesicular nuclei containing one or two nucleoli. Immunohistochemical staining for S-100 protein and HMB-45 revealed strong positivity and variable developing stages of premelanosomes were observed by electron microscopy in the excised specimen.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.85-88
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• 1998

We described the findings of fine needle aspiration cytology of the lung from a patient with Wegener's granulomatosis. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment of the patients with Wegener's granulomatosis is essential for a better prognosis. However, the variety of clinical presentations and nonspecific radiologic infiltrates of Wegener's granulomatosis frequently make the diagnosis difficult. Although an open lung biopsy is required for a firm diagnosis, fine needle aspiration cytology & biopsy preparation can also provide an adequate tissue sample, when the findings of fine needle aspiration are considered with clinical manifestations and ANCA value in the serum. The cytologic smears showed scattered necrotic tissue fragments entrapping many neutrophils and occasional epithelioid cells. Multinucleated giant cells were infrequently observed. Ziehl-Neelsen stain for acid fast bacilli was negative. All the cytologic features recapitulated the histopathologic findings of purulent and necrotizing granulomatous inflammation seen in Wegener's granulomatosis.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.35-39
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• 2000

Since inflammatory myofibroblastic turner was initially recognized in the lung, this tumor has been described in other extrapulmonary sites. In spite of relatively uniform histologic findings in various organs, a rarity in extrapulmonary sites and highly vascular characteristics frequently lead to a misdiagnosis in preoperative radiology and fine needle aspiration cytology. We present a case of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor occurring in the mesentery of a 4-month-old girl. Fine needle aspiration cytology smear disclosed characteristic spindle cells intermixed with prominent mature plasma cells and lymphocytes. According to the immunohistochemical staining, we recognized that the intervening spindle cells are myofibroblasts which have reactivity for the both actin and vimentin.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.160-163
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• 1997

The cytologic finding of proliferating trichilemmal tumor is not well documented and have difficulties in the cytological analysis of the fine needle aspirates. This rare dermatopathologic entity may be encountered during aspiration biopsy of subcutaneous masses, and is, occasionally, confused with other neoplasm, particulary squamous carcinoma owing to its close cytological resemblance. We report a case of proliferating trichilemmal tumor in the left breast. The patient is a woman and had a lump in the breast for 20 years. Fine needle aspiration revealed a few small clusters of squamoid cells in the background of amorphous and calcified material. After excisional biopsy, the mass was confirmed as proliferating trichilemmal tumor. The main cytologic features discriminating squamous cell carcinoma were bland nature of epithelial cells, absence of atypical dyskeratotic cells, and rich amount of amorphous material.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.91-95
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• 2003

Intraductal papillary mucinous tumor of the pancreas is characterized by intraductal papillary proliferation of mucin-producing epithelial cells with or without excessive mucin secretion. According to the degree of epithelial dysplasia, intraductal papillary mucinous tumor is classified into adenoma, borderline tumor, and carcinoma. We recently experienced a case of fine needle aspiration cytology of the intraductal papillary mucinous adenoma in a 69-year-old male. The fine needle aspiration cytology yielded flat sheets of columnar, mucin containing epithelial cells in the background of dense mucin containing degenerated cellular material and histiocytes.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.52-56
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• 1993

Proliferative fasciitis is a benign pseudosarcomatous mesenchymal lesion occurring in the subcutis. The lesion occurs clinically as a tumorous mass that develops within a rather short time in elderly patients. We recently experiecened a case of fine needle aspiration cytology of proliferative fasciitis in the left anterior chest wall of a 72 year-old male patient. The smear revealed two types of cells. One was the large and mostly oval cell with one or two nuclei lying at the periphery of the cell body and abundant basophilic cytoplasm like the ganglion cell. The nuclei were round to oval, had vesicular chromatin and contained prominent nucleoli. The other was the spindle shaped fibroblast with an oval nucleus. The differential diagnosis includes a true tumor such as ganglioneuroma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and liposarcoma and therefore fine needle aspiration cytology is very much indicated in order to exclude these possibilities.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.89-94
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• 1998

A case of fine needle aspiration cytology of an osteoclastic giant cell tumor of pancreas, which is an uncommon variant of ductal adenocarcinoma, is described. Aspirated tumor cells were characterized by three populations: (1) bland osteoclast like giant cells with multiple small, round nuclei with distinct nucleoli, and abundant cytoplasm, (2) Individually scattered or loosely clustered medium sized mononuclear tumor cells, having fine chromatin, smooth nuclear membrane, often prominent nucleoli, and high N/C ratio, (3) bland or atypical spindle shaped cells. Osteoid like lacy material was also seen on cell block section. The immunohistochemical studies using paraffin embedded cell block section showed positivities for vimentin and lysozyme in both giant and mononuclear turner cells. However, they were negative for cytokeratin, epithelial membrane antigen, S-100 protein, carcinoembryonic antigen, and p53.