• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.69-78
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• 1998

There is a lot of difficulty in the diagnosis of follicular lesions of the thyroid by fine needle aspiration cytology(FNAC). The main purpose of this report is offering more guidance regarding the cytologic appearance to distinguish follicular neoplasm from nodular golfer and laying stress on the presence of mixed group. The histologic and cytologic findings of 23 follicular neoplasms and 13 nodular (adenomatous) getters were reviewed. Histologic specimens were classified into the microfollicular(MIF), mixed(MIX), and nodular getter(NG) groups. The comparison of histologic patterns with histologic diagnosis revealed that all the lesions with predominantly microfollicular, trabecular, or solid pattern were follicular carcinoma and all the lesions with predominantly macrofollicular pattern were nodular goiter. The distinguishing cytologic features for the MIF group were irregular cell arrangement in cell groups(100%, p=0.00001), absence of atrophic follicular cells(100%, p=0.0007), abundant microfollicles(100%, 0=0.002), pleomorphic nuclei(100%, p=0.002), not predominant syncytial smear pattern(100%, p=0.002), heterochromatin(100%, p=0.032), absence of macrofollicles(100%, p=0.038), scant colloid(100%, 0=0.04), clear back-ground(83%, p=0.00006), and uniform sized follicles(83%, p=0.014). And regular cell arrangement(honeycomb appearance) in cell groups(85%, p=0.0000), atrophic change of follicular cells(69%, p=0.0002), syncytial smear pattern(54%, p=0.000), monomorphic nuclei(85%, p=0.008), and hemorrhagic background(100%, p=0.027) were characteristic features of the NG group. Seventeen out of 36 cases(47%) were the MIX group composed of combined cytologic features of the MIF and NG groups. Therefore the frequent presence of the MIX group is considered to be main cause of the difficulty in the diagnosis of follicular lesions by FNAC. The mixed morphologic feature may support the hypothesis of a biologic 'continuum' between nodular goiter and follicular neoplasm of thyroid gland.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.122-133
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• 1996

This is a retrospective review of fine-needle aspiration cytology(FNAC) smears of 153 cases of thyroid disease performed during August 1989 to July 1995, which were confirmed histologically following surgical operations. FNAC results showed 63 cases(41.2%) of adenomatous goiter, 45 cases(29.4%) of papillary carcinoma, 29 cases(19.0%) of follicular neoplasm, 4 cases(2.6%) of follicular variant of papillary carcinoma, 4 cases(2.6%) of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, 4 cases(2.6%) of $H\ddot{u}rthle$ cell neoplasm, 2 cases(1.3%) of medullary carcinoma and one case(0.7%) each of subacute thyroiditis and of anaplastic carcinoma. The overall accuracy of cytological diagnosis was 83.7%. These data strongly suggest thyroid FNAC is a reliable preoperative diagnostic tool, but FNAC has been less valuable in the diagnosis of follicular lesions than any other disease of the thyroid. Adenomatous goiter was not infrequently interpreted as follicular neoplasia that requires surgery for diagnostic conformation and vice versa. The following findings are considered to be compatible with follicular neoplasm: 1) microfollicles, 2) nuclear grooving, 3) irregularity of nuclear membrane, and 4) irregular arrangement or crowding of follicular cells in groups. The FNAC criteria of adenomatous goiter are as follows: 1) atrophic follicular cells, 2) presence of macrophages, 3) abundant colloid, and 4) large follicles. It is recommended that aspiration of thyroid lesions in order to analyse with critical clinico-pathological approach and surgery is considered only for nodules that are clinically suspicious or unresponsive to hormone therapy or when a diagnosis of follicular neoplasm is made.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.134-137
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• 1996

Monoclonal antibody(TCM-9) against human thyroid cancers have been studied by screening with human thyroid cancers, normal and benign thyroid tissue, and normal human serum protein. A monoclonal antibody(TCM-9) that is known to have strong specificity for human thyroid cancer but not for Graves' disease, adenoma or normal thyroid does not bind to native or mature human thyroglobulin(Tg). We used to TCM-9 antibody by immunohistochemical staining on 5 follicular cancer, 2 follicular adenoma, 1 follicular neoplasm with suspicious invasion, 2 papillary cancer to ascertain being of help in differentiation between follicular carcinoma and adenoma. Reactivity of TCM-9 was observed in follicular carcinoma and papillary carcinoma but not observed in follicular adenoma. Thus TCM-9 is a novel monoclonal antibody against the thyroid cancer.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 1998

Fine needle aspiration cytology of "cold" nodules of the thyroid has proved to be of great value in their preoperative diagnosis. Most types of thyroid tumors are readily recognizable from characteristic cellular patterns in the smears of needle aspirates. But follicular neoplasms present some problems because the cytomorphology of the adenomas frequently is same as in carcinoma. For differentiation of benign from malignant follicular neoplasms of the thyroid we tested the usefulness of two objective parameters - nuclear area and perimeter - by morphometry. This study was made on fine needle aspirates from 30 cases with cytologic diagnosis of follicular neoplasm of thyroid. The histologic classification was follicular adenoma in 22 cases and follicular carcinoma in 8 cases. As a reference group we used seven caes with nodular hyperplasia. The smears of aspirates were stained by Papanicolaou method. On each slide 200 randomly selected cells with intact nuclei were measured. The mean value of nuclear area are $25.32{\pm}5.50{\mu}m^2,\;34.08{\pm}7.50{\mu}m^2\;and\;39.97{\pm}6.63{\mu}m^2$ in nodular hyperplasia, follicular adenoma, and follicular carcinoma, respectively. The mean value of perimeter are $19.48{\pm}2.26{\mu}m,\;22.95{\pm}2.65{\mu}m\;and\;24.78{\pm}2.23{\mu}m$ in nodular hyperplasia, follicular adenoma and follicular carcinoma, respectively. The mean nuclear areas and perimeters of cells from follicular adenoma were significantly larger than those from nodular hyperplasia (p<0.05). The mean nuclear areas and perimeters of cells from follicular carcinoma were larger than those from follicular adenoma but the differences are not significant statistically(p>0.05). Therefore, morphometric assessment alone is inadequate to predict malignancy in thyroid aspirates.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.152-159
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• 2008

Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) cannot differentiate follicular adenoma from follicular carcinoma since this distinction can only be based on the presence of capsular or vascular invasion, and this can￢not be detected on a cytologic smear. The goal of this study was to define the diagnostic cytologic findings of follicular neoplasm and the possibility of diagnosing follicular neoplasm by performing FNAC. The cases of histologically diagnosed follicular adenoma and follicular carcinoma on the thyroidectomy specimens were retrieved. Among them, the cases with preoperative FNAC that was done within 3 months of the operation were finally selected. Then we reviewed the FNAC and histologic slides of 19 cases: 9 follicular adenomas and 10 follicular carcinomas. Our results suggest that for cases of follicular neoplasm, the aspirates show high or abundant cellularity, frequent follicle formation and occasional cellular atypism of the follicular cells. However, the atypism is more pronounced and more frequently noticed in the cases of follicular carcinoma, which reveals more higher anisocytosis (7/10, 70%), nuclear pleomorphism (9/10, 90%), coarse clumping of chromatin (8/10, 80%) and cellular overlapping (8/10, 80%).

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.57-60
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• 2021

Tumor of follicular infundibulum (TFI) is a rare benign cutaneous appendage tumor that does not have characteristic clinical features. It is mainly present in the head, neck, and trunk as a solitary lesion. In particular, TFI typically manifests as a plate-like proliferation with multiple thin epidermal connections comprise of monomorphic cells. TFI do not represent cutaneous characteristics, but have clinical significance because TFI is associated with basal cell carcinoma and Cowden's syndrome. We report a case of TFI in parietal scalp with a review of literatures.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2007

Parathyroid tumors may be difficult to distinguish from thyroid follicular lesions, especially when a tumor is nonfunctioning. We report here two cases of asymptomatic parathyroid carcinoma preoperatively misdiagnosed as thyroid follicular lesions, and one case of parathyroid adenoma showing hyperparathyroidism, and review the cytologic features favoring the diagnosis of parathyroid neoplasm. The cytologic findings that are characterized by clean background, monomorphic small cells, cohesive three-dimensional papillary clusters, small tight clusters with scattered naked nuclei, and well-defined clear cytoplasm favor a diagnosis for the parathyroid lesions. Cytologic findings such as macrofollicular structure, presence of colloid and macrophages, and presence of perivacuolar cytoplasmic granules on May-Grunwald-Giemsa stain support a diagnosis of a thyroid follicular lesion. The cytomorphology of parathyroid tumors is so variable that the distinction from a thyroid lesion cannot be based on the presence or absence of a single feature only but on the cytologic features as a whole.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.105-110
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• 1993

The major limitation of fine needle aspiration of the thyroid is in the evaluation of follicular tumors. it may be difficult or occasionally, impossible to distinguish on a cytologic basis, between hyperplastic nodular getter, follicular adenoma and well differentiated follicular carcinoma. We reviewed cytologic presentations of 15 histologically confirmed follicular neoplasms of the thyroid. Aspiration smears of 6 follicular adenomas were cell-rich with ball-like or syncytial aggregates of monotonous follicular cells, in contrast to honeycomb-like flat sheets of adenomatous goiter Mild nuclear pleomorphism and a small visible nucleolus were noted in 2 cases, respectively. Nine cases of follicular carcinoma showed very high cellularity, irregularly shaped cell clusters, and numerous isolated tumor cells. Nuclear pleomorphism and visible nucleoli were noted in 6 and 5 cases, respectively. Another characteristic finding, entrapped endothelial cells within the ceil clusters, was noted in 7 carcinomas and 1 adenoma. The background of the smears of all follicular neoplasms was hemorrhagic, with no or scanty colloid. We confirmed that the cytologic features of follicular adenoma and carcinoma were similar in general, with subtle differences in cell morphology, but the presence of isolated tumor cells and entrapped endothelial cells was suggestive of malignancy.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.40-42
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• 2006

Riedel's thyroiditis is an uncommon disorder of unknown etiology that is characterized by an invasive process that partially destroys the gland and extends into adjacent neck structures. Its clinical manifestation as a stonyhard, poorly defined enlargement over the thyroid gland and local compression of the trachea, esophagus and recurrent laryngeal nerve can mimic invasive thyroid carcinoma and mask the accompanied thyroid neoplasm. A case of Riedel's thyroiditis in a 59-year-old female patient, admitted with a previous diagnosis of adenomatous goiter, is reported. So, we present this case with the review of literatures.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.118-119
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• 2024