• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.106-111
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• 2004

Invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPCa) is a rare variant of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. This variant is associated with a set of peculiar cytological findings and aggressive biological behaviors. In most reported cases, IMPCa has involved massive axillary lymph node metastases at the time of diagnosis. We experienced four cases of cytological features of IMPCa, all of which were verified by histological examination. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) revealed malignant epithelial cells, which formed small, oval to angulated papillary clusters, which lacked central fibrovascular cores. The histological findings of the four cases revealed both pure and mixed forms of IMPCa, composed of cohesive malignant epithelial cells, surrounded by distinctive clear spaces and separated by thin fibrous septa. All patients evidenced axillary lymph node metastases at the time of diagnosis. It is important to identify the peculiar cytological findings which would differentiate IMPCa from other diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.112-115
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• 2004

Lymphoproliferative disorders, manifesting either as a primary lesion or as part of a generalized process, rarely involve the breast. The primary malignant lymphoma of the breast is rare. The cytologic features of this neoplasm have not been reported in Korea thus far. We described a case of primary malignant lymphoma of the breast, as diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in an 84-year-old female. FNAC smears showed high cellularity. The main cytologic feature observed was a carpeting of monotonous, atypical, enlarged lymphoid cells. These lymphocytes showed relatively round elliptical nuclei with some indentation. One or more prominent nucleoli were seen. Biopy from the breast mass revealed diagnostic features of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell type.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.179-184
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• 1997

Intracystic papillary carcinoma(IPC) of the breast is a distinctive and very rare variant of intrductal carcinoma. The cytologic features of IPC have been rarely reported, and there are difficulties in distinguishing between benign and malignant papillary breast lesions. Herein we report a IPC of the breast in a 80 year-old female. Fine needle aspiration cytology revealed monotonous cuboidal epithelial cells in small clusters and individually scattered on bloody background. The tumor cells did not show overt cytologic atypia. With the histologic features of this case and review of the literature, the cytologic differential points are discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.140-145
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• 1993

Langerhans cell histiocytosis or histiocytosis X is a disease of unknown etiology characterized by proliferation of mature histiocytes. While a few descriptions of the cytologic features of eosinophilic granuloma ocurring in the bone have been published, reports of cytologic findings of lymph node-based Langerhans cell histiocytosis are very rare. We report the cytologic findings of a case of Langerhans cell histiocytosis diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology from the left supraclavicular and right inguinal lymph nodes in a 65-year-old male. Cytologic smears showed characteristic reticuloendothelial cells which have elongated, folded, grooved nuclei and abundant pale cytoplasms. Particularly, nuclei were highly irregular and multilobated. A few mitotic figures were present. The cytologic diagnosis was confirmed by tissue biopsies from the left supraclavicular and right inguinal lymph nodes. Proliferation of histiocytes were also present in the skin. Immunohistochemistry for S-100 protein, vimentin, $\alpha1-antichymotrypsin$ and lysozyme showed positive staining. Electron microscopy disclosed Birbeck granules.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.6 no.1
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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.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.43-53
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• 1999

We retrospectively reviewed the results of 1,850 fine needle aspiration cytology(FNAC) of thyroid nodules performed from 1990 to 1991 in the Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital. Among 1,528 cases and 322 cases aspirated by clinicians and a pathologist, 465 cases(30.4%) and 13 cases(4.0%) of the aspirates were inadequate, respectively. In 227 cases, correlation of the FNAC diagnosis and histologic diagnosis was done. Excluding the inadequate cases, the sensitivity nor the detection of neoplasm(malignancy together with follicular adenoma) was 86.4% and the specificity was 70.7%. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 79.0%. There were 16 false-positive cases(7.0%), and 19 false-negative cases(8.4%). The predictive value of each cytologic diagnosis was 92% in papillary carcinoma, and 100%, in Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The expectancy of malignancy was 52.8% in "suspicious malignancy" and 26.7% in "atypical lesion".

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.91-96
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• 1999

Sometimes a pilomatrixoma on upper neck can be misdiagnosed as primary salivary gland tumor, skin adnexal tumor or metastatic carcinoma. On fine needle aspiration cytology(FNAC), characteristic features are ghost cells, basaloid cells, and calcium deposits, among which presence of ghost cells seems to be the key to recognize it. Here we present a cytologically misdiagnosed case of pilomatrixoma. A 32-year-old man presented a subcutaneous mass on the right posterior neck. It has grown slowly for 1 year, and was nontender, well circumscribed, hard, and movable mass. An Initial FNAC yielded only monomorphic population of highly mitotic basaloid cells, without anucleated ghost cells, chronic inflammatory cells or foreign-body giant cells, suggestive of a poorly differentiated carcinoma. However, that was inconsistent with patient's clinical findings. For further correct diagnosis, FNAC was repeated, which yielded the basaloid cells and foreign-body giant cells. The diagnosis of pilomatrixoma could be made and the mass was excised. This case demonstrates that the pilomatrixoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of subcutaneous aspirates containing not ghost cells but a dominant population of basaloid cells.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.88-92
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• 2005

Mucious cystic neoplasm of pancreas is a cystic neoplasm composed of columnar, mucin-producing epithelium and is supported by ovarian-type stroma. The key to the cytologic evaluation of pancreatic cystic lesions is to recognize the cytologic components as being diagnostic of a mucin-producing cystic neoplasm, as all of these neoplasms need to be resected. We report the use of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of an invasive mucinous cystic carcinoma confirmed by partial pancreatectomy. The cytologic specimen showed a abundant mucin background and sheets or papillae of neoplastic cells. There are mucin-containing columnar cells that show a variable degree of cytologic atypia.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.28-32
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• 2002

Malignant myoepithelioma (myoepithelial carcinoma), is a very rare malignant epithelial accounting for less than 1% of all salivary gland tumors and has an intermediate malignant potential. We report a case of malignant myoepithelioma arising in the left parotid giand in a 54-year-old man, which was difficult to differentiate from pleomorphic adenoma and other malignant salivary gland neoplasms. Fine needle aspiration cytology of the parotid gland showed cellular smear, composed of overlapped sheets and clusters or individually scattered tumor cells without any acinic or ductal structures. The tumor cells were rather uniform, with distinct cell borders and moderate amount of cytoplasm. The eccentrically located nuclei were oval to round and pleomorphic and showed prominent nucleoli. A few clear cells were noted in the cellular aggregates Metachromatic matrix was seen between individual tumor cells in a lacelike fashion, resembling pleomorphic adenoma. According to the immunohistochemical staining, we recognized that the component cells are myoeplthelial in nature, showing reactivity for the S-100 protein, vimentin, and actin.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 1991

Mixed squamous cell carcinoma and papillary carcinoma in the thyroid gland is a very rare malignant tumor characterized by rapidly progressive clinical course and radioresistance. A 63-year-old woman had mixed squamous cell carcinoma and papillary carcinoma in the thyroid gland diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNA), and the diagnosis was confirmed by histological examination. She had complained of a fixed, egg-sized mass of the anterior neck with hoarseness for 1 year. The findings of FNA consisted of sheets and clusters of polygonal epithelial cells with hyperchromatic, pleomorphic nuclei and eosinophilic, abundant, laminated cytoplasm. These findings were consistent with squamous cell carcinoma. Also, fool of papillary carcinoma were noted, and the cells exhibited nuclear groovings and intranuclear cytoplasmic inclusions. Total thyroidectomy specimen showed a diffusely infiltrating tumor in the left thyroid which was composed of mixed papillary carcinoma and well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. In junction between two components, squamous metaplasia of papillary carcinoma was noted.