• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 2001

Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma(CXPA) is a rare malignant tumor of the salivary gland, fine needle aspiration cytology(FNAC) of which are rarely reported. We retrospectively reviewed FNAC of five cases of histologically proven CXPA of the salivary glands diagnosed in Seoul National University Hospital to evaluate their cytologic characteristics. Histologically, the carcinoma components were low-grade in three cases and high-grade in two cases. The cytologic diagnosis were malignancy in two cases(40%), suspicious for malignancy in one(20%), and benign(pleomorphic adenoma) in two(40%). All of the high-grade carcinomas were correctly diagnosed by FNAC, however, 2 cases of low-grade carcinomas were diagnosed as benign by FNAC. The low sensitivity in cytologic diagnosis is due to interpretative difficulties in low-grade tumors. The characteristic cytologic features of CXPA were high cellularity, necrotic, bloody, and inflammatory background, marked nuclear overlapping, coarsely granular chromatin, prominent macronucleoli, and atypical mitosis in epithelial component in addition to the typical biphasic pattern of pleomorphic adenoma consisting of epithelial cells admired with spindle-shaped cells and chondromyxoid stroma. Even though low-grade tumors show mild pleomorphism, the cytologic findings of necrotic background, moderate to high cellularity, and nuclear overlapping could lead to an accurate cytodiagnosis of CXPA.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 1999

The authors analysed 2,653 cases of transthoracic fine needle aspiration cytology of the lung to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and its limitation. A comparison was made between the original cytologic and the final histologic diagnoses on 1,149 cases from 1,074 patients. A diagnosis of malignancy was established in 38.3% benign in 48.1%, atypical lesion in 2.3%, and inadequate one in 11.9% of the cases. Statistical data on cytologic diagnoses were as follows; specificity 98.9%: sensitivity of procedure, 76.8%: sensitivity of diagnosis, 95.5%: false positive 5 cases: false negative 18 cases: predictive value for malignancy, 98.8%: predictive value for benign lesion, 79.5%: overall diagnostic efficiency, 87.5%: typing accuracy in malignant tumor, 80%.