• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.25-29
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• 1993

We describe cytologic findings of two cases of pilomatrixoma which had been cytologically misdiagnosed as suspicious malignant and malignant lesions in 35 year-old and 22 year-old females who presented a palpable neck mass. The cytologic smears showed many basaloid cells with a high nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio, nuclear hyperchromatism and prominent nucleoli, keratinized squamous cells with pyknotic nuclei, foreign body giant cells, and chronic inflammatory cells in necrotic back-ground. Retrospective view of this aspiration smear revealed that these findings were characteristic features of pilomatrixoma, and the evenly distributed chromatin pattern as well as the lack of nuclear pleomorphism were considered to be the differential points from malignant neoplasm. Pilomatrixoma is a benign neoplasm which should be included in differential diagnosis if the fine needle aspiration cytologic smear of a neck mass or subcutaneous mass of any site showed these features.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.143-152
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• 2007

Sono-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the thyroid is widely used, but the aspirated samples are typically not well preserved and low cellularity makes diagnosis difficult in many cases. The object of the current study is to evaluate the adequacy and diagnostic accuracy of the use of $SurePath^{TM}$ liquid-based cytology (SP-LBC) in the sonoguided fine needle aspiration of the thyroid nodule and to compare its use with that of the use of a conventional smear (CS). A total of 172 sono-guided FNAs of thyroid nodules from April to June, 2006 were prepared by the use of the split method with either SP-LBC or CS; the samples were stained with the use of hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and Papanicolaou (Pap) stains. A cyto-histological correlation was performed in 69 (30 SP and 39 CS) cases that had been histologically confirmed. The rate of producing unsatisfactory slides by the use of the SP-LBC method (9.3%) was less than that of the use of the CS method (20.9%). The diagnostic accuracy of the SP method (93.3%) was better than that of the CS method (85.3%). The sensitivity and specificity of the SP method (94.4% and 92.3%) was better than that of the CS method (83.3% and 70%), respectively (p < 0.05). The CS of sono-guided aspirated specimens had some unavoidable limitations related to inadequate sampling such as a bloody background, low cellularity and an indication that some clinicians smeared many useless slides (averaging four to ten slides), and that most slides showed only blood that included few follicular cells. The SP method resulted in more thinly smeared slides and showed cleaner background and greater cellularity than the use of the CS method. Each follicular cell shows superior nuclear detail, and more distinct cytoplasmic features than with the use of the CS method. SP-LBC appears to be an easy, highly accurate, and reliable cytological method for employ for a diagnostic approach of thyroid disease and thyroid nodules. The SP-LBC method is a suitable alternative to the CS method to overcome diagnostic difficulties.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.42-45
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• 2000

Background and Objectives: To review efficacy of the fine-needle aspiration cytology(FNAC) in patients with salivary glands lesions. Materials and Methods: From January 1994 through June 1999, FNACs and surgical biopsies were carried out on 109 patients with salivary gland diseases. The medical records were reviewed retrospectively. Benign tumor was found in 81 patients, and malignant tumor was in 19 patients. Nine patients had inflammatory lesion. Results: In 6 of 109 cases the aspiration was inadequate. Of the remaining 103 patients, FNAC correctly diagnosed 87 lesions(84.5%). For benign tumor lesions, the accuracy was 91%(71/78), and for malignant lesions 55.6%(10/18). The accuracy for inflammatory lesions was 85.7%(6/7). Regarding the capacity to discriminate between neoplastic and nonneoplastic lesions, sensitivity, specificity and total diagnostic accuracy were 99%, 85.7% and 84.5% respectively. Regarding the capacity to discriminate between malignant and benign tumors, sensitivity and specificity were 55.6% and 97.4% respectively. FNACs misdiagnosed malignant tumors as benign lesions in eight patients, in which three were with adenoid cystic carcinomas. Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma, malignant lymphoma and mucoepidermoid carcinoma 'were others. Conclusion: FNAC showed high accuracy to diagnose benign lesions in salivary gland diseases. But the accuracy was rather low for malignant lesions. If a salivary gland lesion was suspected for malignant tumor, other diagnostic methods such as tissue biopsy should be seriously considered.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.596-603
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• 2021

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and diagnostic performance of ultrasound (US)-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology and core-needle biopsy (US-FNAC/CNB) for the diagnosis of laryngo-hypopharyngeal masses. Materials and Methods: This was a single-center prospective case series. From January 2018 to June 2019, we initially enrolled 40 patients with highly suspicious laryngo-hypopharyngeal masses on laryngoscopic examinations. Of these, 28 patients with the mass involving or abutting the pre-epiglottic, paraglottic, pyriform sinus, and/or subglottic regions were finally included. These patients underwent US examinations with/without subsequent US-FNAC/CNB under local anesthesia for evaluation of the laryngo-hypopharyngeal mass. Results: Of the 28 patients who underwent US examinations, a laryngo-hypopharyngeal mass was identified in 26 patients (92.9%). US-FNAC/CNB was performed successfully in 25 of these patients (96.2%), while the procedure failed to target the mass in 1 patient (3.8%). The performance of US caused minor subclinical hematoma in 2 patients (7.7%), but no major complications occurred. US-FNAC/CNB yielded conclusive results in 24 (96.0%) out of the 25 patients with a successful procedure, including 23 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 1 patient with a benign mass. In one patient with atypical cells in US-FNAC, additional direct laryngoscopic biopsy (DLB) was required to confirm SCC. Among the 26 patients who received US-FNAC/CNB, the time from first visit to pathological diagnosis was 7.8 days. For 24 patients finally diagnosed with SCC, the time from first visit to the initiation of treatment was 25.2 days. The mean costs associated with US-FNAC/CNB was $272 under the Korean National Health Insurance Service System. Conclusion: US-FNAC/CNB for a laryngo-hypopharyngeal mass is technically feasible in selected patients, providing good diagnostic performance. This technique could be used as a first-line diagnostic modality by adopting appropriate indications to avoid general anesthesia and DLB-related complications.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.155-159
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• 1997

Pilomatrixoma is a benign skin appendage tumor of hair matrix cell origin. The cytological appearance of this tumor may cause problems when attempting to establish a differential diagnosis with other neoplasms. Herein we report the aspiration cytology findings of two cases of pilomatrixoma. One case was diagnosed as atypical cell clusters initially and the other was diagnosed as pilomatrixoma. On cytologic examination, both cases showed clusters of tightly arranged basaloid cells with an uniform appearance, scanty cytoplasm and round hyperchromatic nuclei. There were histiocytes and multinucleated foreign body giant cells merged with the amorphous opaque orangeophilic materials of "ghost cells". The differential diagnosis with other neoplasms is discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.189-193
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• 1994

Malignant thymoma is usually manifested as a mediastinal mass. Occasiomally, these tumors may be associated with a variety of systemic syndromes, such as myasthenia gravis, pure red cell aplasia or hypogammaglobulinemia However, it is generally accepted that thymomas rarely metastasize and the frequency of extrathoracic metastasis has been reported as 1 to 15%. In general, nuclear changes of tumor cells such as enlarged size, irregular shape and altered textures are determining factors in the assessment of the grade of malignancy. We experienced a case of malignant thymoma of anterior mediastinum in a 35-year-old woman. After 3 years, she developed recurrent malignant thymoma in the right supraclavicular area, diagnosed by aspiration biopsy cytology.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.202-206
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• 1996

Metaplastic carcinoma of the breast is a morphologically heterogenous group of neoplasms characterized by ductal adenocarcinoma with extensive squamous differentiation, a spindle-cell pattern of growth, and/or heterologous mesenchymal elements. We experienced a case of metaplastic carcinoma diagnosed by fine needle aspiration(FNA) and confirmed by radical mastectomy in a 46 year-old woman. The FNA cytologic findings included atypical squamous cells with kertinization tying singly and in clusters in a necrotic background. In addition, scattered spindle cells with pleomorphic large nuclei and prominent nucleoli were present in a hemorrhagic and necrotic background. The histopathologic findings showed moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma and highly pleomorphic sarcoma with chondroid component. The immunohistochemical stain revealed focal positive reaction for cytokeratin as well as diffuse reactivity for vimentin in the sarcomatous area.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.85-89
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• 1999

An extremely unusual case of epidermoid cyst showing diffuse parakeratosis and aggressive clinical behavior is presented. A destructive bone lesion with surrounding ill-defined soft tissue lesion was found by computed tomography in a 63 year-old man complaining of painful swelling of the right buttock. He had a history of surgical excision twice for epidermoid cysts of soft tissue of the right hip during recent one year On aspiration cytology, the aspirate was highly cellular and mostly composed of desquamated nucleated squamous cells. Operation finding revealed that the iliac bone was Irregularly destroyed and filled with gray-white cheesy material and necrotic bone bedris. Adjacent gluteus muscle showed scattered gray-white lesions. The curettage specimen showed bone necrosis and desquamated squamous cells filling the marrow spaces. The lesion within muscle revealed epidermoid cyst with diffuse parakeratosis.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.36-42
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• 1991

We report 4 cases of malignant thymoma which were composed of 2 cases of invasive thymoma and 2 cases of thymic carcinoma. The cytologic findings of invasive thymoma were similar to those of benign thymoma. The distinctive cytologic features of thymic carcinoma were necrotic background, irregular clusters and individually scattered arrangement of anaplastic epithelial cells, and some scattered mature small lymphocytes. These findings may be found in the Hodgkin's lymphoma, seminoma, and metastatic squamous ceil carcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, and large ceil carcinoma of the lung. But, the feature of irregular clustering of anaplastic epithelial cell haying scanty cytoplasm was different from Hodgkin's lymphoma and seminoma. Clinical and radiologic findings as well as cytologic finding were helpful in differential diagnosis of thymic carcinoma from metastatic carcinoma.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.60-64
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• 2004

The macrofollicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (MVPC) is characterized by macrofollicles occupying more than half of the tumor and demonstrating nuclear features of classic papillary carcinoma. It is difficult to recognize on fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology due to the paucity of aspirated neoplastic cell clusters, especially when the tumor is associated with extensive areas of hemorrhage. Case: A 34-year-old female presented with a well-demarcated nodule in the thyroid gland, diagnosed as a benign nodule on ultrasonography and computed tomography. FNA cytology smear revealed a few small aggregates of follicular cells with morphological features suspicious for papillary carcinoma, set in a background of hemorrhage, inflammatory cells, and hemosiderin-laden macrophages. Intraoperative frozen section revealed macrofollicular nests filled with hemorrhage and composed of follicular cells demonstrating nuclear clearing and grooves. Conclusion: MVPC is a rare but distinctive variant of papillary carcinoma, which is easily mistaken for adenomatous goiter or benign macrofollicular neoplasm on radiologic findings. The cytopathologist should alert oneself on encountering benign radiologic findings and any smear composed of scant numbers of follicular cells with nuclear features suspicious for papillary carcinoma despite the bland-looking background of hemorrhage and hemosiderin-laden macrophages, and recommend intraoperative frozen sections for a definite diagnosis.