• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.280-288
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• 2022

Objective: To compare core needle biopsy (CNB) and repeat fine-needle aspiration (rFNA) to reduce the rate of diagnostic surgery and prevent unnecessary surgery in nodules initially diagnosed as atypia/follicular lesions of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS). Materials and Methods: This study included 231 consecutive patients (150 female and 81 male; mean age ± standard deviation, 51.9 ± 11.7 years) with 235 thyroid nodules (≥ 1 cm) initially diagnosed as AUS/FLUS, who later underwent both rFNA and CNB. The nodules that required diagnostic surgery after the biopsy were defined using three different scenarios according to the rFNA and CNB results: criterion 1, surgery for low-risk indeterminate (categories I and III); criterion 2, surgery for high-risk indeterminate (categories IV and V); and criterion 3, surgery for all indeterminate nodules (categories I, III, IV, and V). We compared the expected rates of diagnostic surgery between CNB and rFNA in all 235 nodules using the three surgical criteria. In addition, the expected rates of unnecessary surgery (i.e., surgery for benign pathology) were compared in a subgroup of 182 nodules with available final diagnoses. Results: CNB showed significantly lower rates of nondiagnostic, AUS/FLUS, and suspicious for malignancy diagnoses (p ≤ 0.016) and higher rates of follicular neoplasm or suspicious for a follicular neoplasm (p < 0.001) and malignant diagnoses (p = 0.031). CNB showed a significantly lower expected rate of diagnostic surgery than rFNA for criterion 1 (29.8% vs. 48.1%, p < 0.001) and criterion 3 (46.4% vs. 55.3%, p = 0.029), and a significantly higher rate for criterion 2 (16.6% vs. 7.2%, p = 0.001). CNB showed a significantly lower expected rate of unnecessary surgery than rFNA for criterion 1 (18.7% vs. 29.7%, p = 0.024). Conclusion: CNB was superior to rFNA in reducing the rates of potential diagnostic surgery and unnecessary surgery for nodules initially diagnosed as AUS/FLUS in a scenario where nodules with low-risk indeterminate results (categories I and III) would undergo surgery.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.98-101
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• 2005

Eccrine spiradenoma is a rare adnexal tumor of the skin and its cytomorphology has seldom been described in literature. To evaluate the cytologic features and diagnostic pitfalls of eccrine spiradenoma, we report a case of 33-year-old male whose clinical presentation was a painful subcutaneous mass at the right preauricular area. Fine needle aspirates revealed tight clusters of multilayered, uniform, cuboidal cells arranged around hyalinized perivascular spaces. Some epithelial cells showed tubules or rosette formations. The background showed scattered, naked nuclei. The histologic findings confirmed the eccrine spiradenoma. The recognition of peculiar cytologic features and clinical correlation could be helpful in the diagnosis of skin adnexal tumors.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.41-45
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• 1994

Most common metastatic tumors of the thyroid gland are squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck region, adenocarcinoma of breast and lung, malignant melanoma, and renal cell carcinoma of kidney in order of frequency. Metastasis from gastrointestinal tract to the thyroid gland rarely occurs. We experienced a case of fine needle aspiraton cytology of metastatic adenocarcinoma of both thyroid glands from the colon. Cytologic smears showed picket-fence like arrangement of nuclei of carcinoma cells and syncytial type of tissue fragments with acinar pattern on necrotic or mucoid background.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.93-97
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• 1997

A case of cervical chordoma diagnosed by fine needle aspiration is discussed. A 41year-old male was admitted due to dyspnea on neck flexion. Radiologic image revealed a retrotracheal superior mediastinal solid mass. Aspiration cytology showed many clusters of oval or large polygonal cells having abundant eosinophilic or bubbly cytoplasm in an amorphous blue-gray mucoid background. The nuclei were round and showed size variation, coarse granular chromatin, and indistinct nucleoli. Some cells contained brown granular pigments in the cytoplasm. Mitoses were rarely found. The cytoplasm was strongly positive for PAS stain. Immunohistochemical stains using cell block revealed positive reaction for cytokerain, EMA, vimentin, and S-100 protein. The confirmative diagnosis was made by following excisional biopsy. Electron microscopic study revealed large pools of intracytoplasmic glycogen and microfilaments. This is the first case of cervical chordoma diagnosed by aspiration cytology to our knowledge in Korean literature.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.158-163
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• 1990

Ancient (degenerated) schwannomas are benign tumors that display pronounced degenerative changes including cyst formation, calcification, hemorrhage, and hyalinization. The tumors are usually infiltrated by large numbers of inflammatory cells such as neutrophils, lymphocytes, siderophages, and histiocytes. They are located in deep locations such as the retroperitoneum and must be differentiated from malignant soft tissue tumors because spindle cells with nuclear atypia may be present. In the fine needle aspiration biopsy. The cytologic findings of two cases of ancient schwannoma occurring in posterior mediastinum and retroperitoneum, respectively, are described. Computerized tomographic findings of both cases showed changes of cystic degeneration or necrosis. A case occurred in retroperitoneum revealed features of destruction of vertebral body to suggest a malignant soft tussue tumor radiologically. The cytologic findings of aspiration biopsy of both tumors revealed that the tumor cells were spindle in shape with elongated nuclei. Some of tumor cells were arranged in a palisading fashion. Cell structures that resemble the Verocay bodies were observed. Some of the tumor cells showed pleomorphic bizarre nuclei, but no mitotic activity or chromatin clumping was seen. Inflammatory cells, siderophages and histiocytes were scattered in fibrillar material. These cytologic findings are important in the diagnosis of ancient schwannoma and in the differentiation of this tumor from the malignant spindle cell tumor.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.171-175
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• 1993

Synovial sarcoma us a rare malignant neoplasm of the soft tissue arising in the lower extremity, inguinal area, and upper arm. The majority occurs in patients between the age of 15 and 40 years. The histologic diagnosis is based on the classical biphasic type with the distinct epithelial and spindle cell components. We have recently encountered a case of metastatic synovial sarcoma of the lung diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology. A 34-year-old man was admitted because of a palpable mass on the antero-lateral side of the right tibia for 3 years. On admission, a well demarcated metastatic pulmonary nodule, measuring 5 cm in diameter, was also identified in the simple chest X-ray. Resection of the lower leg mass revealed typical histologic features of biphasic synovial sarcoma. Aspiration cytology of the pulmonary nodule revealed numerous clusters of spindle cells admixed with groups of epithelial cells. The epithelial cells had moderate-sized, round to oval shaped, and hyperchromatic nuclei. The cytoplasm was clear, but not distinctive. Interspersed tell elements were fibroblast-like spindle cells having elongated hyperchromatic nuclei.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.30-34
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• 1993

A case of invasive cribriform carcinoma of the breast is presented with fine needle aspiration cytologic features. The aspiration was performed from a papable 2.0 cm mass in the upper outer quadrant of the right breast in a 53 year-old woman. The aspirate showed cellular smear composed of larger three dimensional tight clusters, smaller monolayered loose clusters, and many individual cells on the clean background. In the clusters, the tumor cells were bordering central lumina, quite similar to the cribriform in histology. The tumor cells in the clusters and individual tumor cells had uniform, small and round nuclei. The chromatin was finely granular, and nuclear membrane was smooth No discernible nucleoli were present (nuclear grade $1\sim2$). Unless the abundance of individual cells and the cribriform growth pattern are recognized in the smear, the cytologic diagnosis of invasive cribriform carcinoma is difficult.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.93-97
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• 1990

Two cases of giant cell tumor of bone diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology are described. Case 1 was a 28-year-old male who had pain sense for one year at the right distal thigh. His radiologic finding revealed a destructive cortical lesion with soft tissue extension at medial side of epiphysis of the distal femur. Case 2 was a 21-year-old female complaining pain at left distal forearm for eight months and showed a well-demarcated expansile osteolytic lesion with multiseptation, and cortical destruction at epiphysis and metaphysis of the left distal radius on the X-ray. Fine needle aspiration of each lesion was performed. The aspirate of the case 1 revealed moderate cellularity, which was composed of scattered giant cells of osteoclastic type and small round to oval monotonous stromal cells in large areas. Giant cells were evenly distributed in single or small groups and had irregular but abundant cytoplasms with 10 to 20 nuclei in the center. The nuclei showed ovoid shape, fine granular chromatin, and a small but conspicuous nucleolus. Stromal cells were dispersed in isolated pattern or sometimes aggregated in clusters and showed the same nuclei as those of giant cells and scanty cytoplasms. Comparing to case 1, case 2 had a more translucent abundant cytoplasm in the giant cells and more spindled stromal cells. All two cases revealed neither nuclear atypism nor increased abnormal mitoses In both giant and stromal cells, suggesting no evidence of malignancy. Thereafter the lesions were treated with excision and curettage, and histologically confirmed as giant cell tumors of the bone.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.120-128
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• 1997

Fine needle aspiration cytology of breast lesion is well known as a simple, economic and effective diagnostic modality. For the evaluation of cytohistologic correlation, 256 cases of cytologic smears and subsequent histologic sections during 2-year period from Jan. 1995 to Dec. 1996 were reviewed. 1. Fifteen cases(5.9%) were proven as insufficient for evaluation, and 13 of them were fibrocystic change histologically. One case of carcinoma exhibiting sufficient amount of aspirates with no malignant cells on smear was regarded as inadequate. 2. Cytohistologic correlation of 240 cases revealed sensitivity 87.0%, specificity 100.0%, positive predictive value 100.0%, negative predictive value 97.0%, false positive rate 0.0% and false negative rate 13.0%. Total diagnostic accuracy is 95.7%. 3. Total 6 cases of negative were due to small amount of aspirates containing scantiness of malignant cells in two and underestimation in four. 4. Diagnostic concordance rates of fibrocystic change and fibroadenoma were 95.5% and 80.0%, respectively. Diagnostic discrepancies were noted in 7 cases of fibrocystic change and 6 cases of fibroadenoma, however, cytologic discrimination of two entities was not easy in seven of them. 5. In a case of phyllodes tumor and a case of duct ectasia, the discrepancy was due to targeting error. Other three cases(lymphoma, adenomyoepithelioma and granulomatous mastitis) were misinterpreted because of poor acquaintance with those entities. Diagnostic accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology of breast lesions are relatively high. However, good technique on aspiration and adequate interpretation are necessary to reduce the false negative rate and the discrepancy between cytologic and histologic diagnoses.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.144-151
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• 2008

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology is the decisive test in the pre-operative diagnostics of thyroid nodules. Here we share our institutional experience about thyroid aspiration and give suggestions for suspicious cytology results. Three hundred twenty-two cases in 270 patients (mean age 47.4 years, 243 women and 27 men) who underwent thyroidectomy were reviewed. Among the 322 cases, the FNA diagnosis of "positive for malignancy" was 87 cases (27.0%), "suggestive of malignancy" 30 cases (9.3%), "suspicious for malignancy" 61 cases (18.9%), "negative for malignancy" 102 cases (31.7%), and "unsatisfactory smear" 42 cases (13.0%). Eighty seven cases (100%) out of "positive for malignancy", 29 cases (96.7%) out of "suggestive of malignancy", and 39 cases (64.0%) out of "suspicious for malignancy" were papillary carcinoma (148 cases, 95.5%), or follicular carcinoma (2 cases, 1.3%), or metastatic carcinoma (1 case, 0.6%). Seventeen patients who had only negative or unsatisfactory cytology underwent thyroidectomy and nine cases (52.9%) were papillary carcinoma. We suggest that: the cytology diagnosis of "suggestive of malignancy" could be regarded as "positive for malignancy", the cytology diagnosis of "suspicious of malignancy" should be carefully correlated with clinico-radiologic manifestation, and even a negative or unsatisfactory smear should be carefully followed up.