• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.66-72
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• 2013

Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy Cytology (FNABC), which is known as the most accurate and cost-effective method for diagnosis of the thyroid nodule, may still result in indeterminate cases that are cellular paucity and show minor nuclear atypia. However, most cases are associated with suspicion of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). A B-type Raf kinase (BRAF) mutation was found in about half of PTCs which is currently helping us to differentiate malignancies from benign lesions. Cases studied included 46 histological, confirmed PTC cases. FNABC 102 cell paucity and 74 atypia benign cases were previously diagnosed as suspicious of PTC using cytologic examination. These cases were analyzed for BRAF mutation by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) with a new restriction enzyme. In this study, the sensitivity and specificity were calculated and, BRAF mutation was detected by means of a histological method in 23 of 46 cases of PTC and no mutation was found in 22 cases. However, one case was not detected. In using FNABC, BRAF mutation was detected in 6 of 102 cases in cell paucity and in 11 of 74 cases in the atypia. Two cases were not detected in the atypia. The sensitivity and specificity of PCR-RFLP in FNABC were 60% and 97.4% respectively. Assessment of Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedding (FFPE) block demonstrated similarly a 51.1% positive and 48.9% negative in PTC. Evaluation of BRAF mutation revealed high specificity and low sensitivity in using FNABC method. This study suggests that BRAF mutation analysis should be useful for the clinical diagnosis of PTC in FNABC with cytological findings suspicious for PTC.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.131-134
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• 2001

Cytologic features of conventional chordoma have been described and most reports emphasize the presence of large cells with numerous well defined cytoplasmic vacuoles or physaliferous cells. We report fine needle aspiration cytologlc (FNAC) findings of a case of chordoma without physaliferous cells. The smear was cellular and composed of large cohesive clusters or individually scattered cells in mucinous background. The round or cuboidal cells had centrally located nuclei with fine granular chromatin, inconspicuous nucleoli, and occasional vacuolated cytoplasm. Mild to moderate pleomorphism was noted. Physaliferous cells are extremely helpful when present in cytologic material, but they are not necessary for diagnosis. Thus clinical history, roentgenographic appearance, and exact location of the lesion are required for the successful Interpretation of presacral aspirates together with cytologic findings.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.87-91
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• 2007

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a pleomorphic disease entity characterized by local or disseminated atypical Langerhans cells (LCs) found most commonly in bone, lungs, mucocutaneous structures and endocrine organs. Among different sites, unifocal disease confined to a lymph node (LN) is rare. We report a case of LCH confined to a LN in a 38-year-old male who presented with a 2 cm-sized cervical mass. The fine needle aspiration (FNA) smears of cervical LN showed high cellularity having isolated LCs with contorted nuclei and nuclear grooves mixed in multinucleated giant cells, small lymphocytes and eosinophils. Charcot-Leyden crystals were also seen, as were a few dendritic-like cells and intranuclear inclusions. Confirmation of LCH was made by histopathologic studies, positive reactions for S-100 protein and CD1a immunohistochemical staining and by the demonstration of Birbeck granules on electron microscopy. The differentials to be considered include dermatopathic lymphadenitis, sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy, Hodgkin's lymphoma and malignant histiocytosis. The characteristic cytomorphologic pattern of LCH in a LN FNA smear plays an important role in suggesting the diagnosis of LCH.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.152-157
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• 1990

A 70-year-old female who was diagnosed as myxoid chondrosarcoma by fine needle aspiration of a pleural mass is described. She presented with left chest discomfort of 4 months' duration and aggravating dyspnea and chest pain for 2 months. Chest X-ray and CT scan revealed a large lobulated low density mass invading chest wall at the left pleural cavity and massive pleural fluid. Fine needle aspiration was done under the impression of mesothelioma or metastatic cancer. The aspirates from the mass were very cellular and composed of isolated or clustered forms of large plump cells. Abundant cytoplasm was blulsh opaque and the margin was rounded in the isolated cells, whereas clustered cells show ill-defined ceil borders and aggregating tendency. The nuclei were eccentric, round to ovoid, and had fine chromatin pattern and multiple small nucleoli. Cellular pleomorphism or mitotic figure was not definite. These findings were consistent with cytologic features of chondrosarcoma. Final diagnosis was confirmed as myxoid chondrosarcoma by mediastinoscopic biopsy and the tumor showed strong positivity for S-100 protein.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.126-135
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• 2006

To study the differentiating cytomorphological features of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) using fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), cytomorphological features of 16 patients with HL (n=8) or ALCL (n=8) were analyzed. In the initial cytological diagnosis prior to biopsy, HLs were properly diagnosed in 4 out of 8 cases (4 HL, 2 atypical, 2 benign), whereas all ALCL were diagnosed as malignancies. However, correct diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) was made in only two ALCL patients (2 NHL, 1 HL, 1 sarcoma, 4 malignancy without specific type). Overall, the percentage of large abnormal cells ranged from 30% to 90% in ALCL except for one case, whereas it was less than 5% in all 8 HL. A spectrum of atypical cells was more characteristic of ALCL. In contrast, HL showed an sharp difference between reactive lymphoid cells and neoplastic ones (bimorphic pattern). Moreover, the emergence of kidney-shaped abnormal cells or wreath-like multinucleated cells was helpful in diagnosing ALCL. The combination of thesefeatures would be useful in differentiating HL and ALCL. Nevertheless, these two types of lymphomas cannot be definitely distinguished based on cytomorphological features alone. Therefore, the aim of FNAC would be to suggest a specific diagnosis and indicate the need for a biopsy.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.201-207
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• 2019

This study has evaluated whether the method of using the combination of different risk group, according to K-TIRADS classification and K-TIRADS classification in thyroid ultrasonography is useful in a differential diagnosis of benign and malignant nodules. The subject was patients underwent thyroid ultrasonography and retrospective analysis were performed based on the results of fine needle aspiration cytology. A chi-square test was performed for the difference analysis of the score system in K-TIRADS and different risk group according to the benign and malignant of thyroid nodule. The optimized cut off value was determined by the K-TIRADS score and different risk group to predict malignant nodule through ROC curve analysis. In the differential verification result of K-TIRADS and different risk group, according to the classification of benign and malignant nodule group each showed significant difference statistically(p=.001). In the point classification according to K-TIRADS for the prediction of benign and malignant in ROC curve analysis showed AUC 0.786, Cut-off value>2(p=.001), and in the different risk group, it was decided as AUC 0.640, Cut-off value>2(p=.001). When discovering the nodule in thyroid ultrasound, it is considered that the K-TIRADAS which helps in identifying benign and malignant thyroid nodules, it is considered to be helpful in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules, than the classification system according to Different risk group, and when applying the classification system according to K-TIRADS, it is considered that it can reduce unnecessary fine needle aspiration cytology and could be helpful in finding the malignant nodules early.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.193-198
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• 1995

The increased use of thyroid fine needle aspiration(FNA) has re-focused on $H\"{u}rthle$ cell lesions. The cytologic diagnosis of $H\"{u}rthle$ cell tumor is a challenge due to the presence of $H\"{u}rthle$ cells in non-neoplastic lesions and the inability to differentiate between benign and malignant $H\"{u}rthle$ cell tumor. We report a case of $H\"{u}rthle$ cell adenoma(HCA) un a 68-year old woman, with review of the cytopathologic findings. FNA revealed loosely cohesive or sheets of large oval to polygonal $H\"{u}rthle$ cells containing abundant granular cytoplasm. The hustopathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of HCA with follicular growth pattern. Ultrastructurally, the cytoplasm was packed with variable sized mitochondria.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.156-162
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• 1995

Fine needle aspiration of the breast is an important diagnostic tool in malignant lesions, but is also useful in differentiation of inflammatory breast diseases mimicking carcinoma clinically and radiologically. Recently, the authors have experienced eight biopsy-proven cases of chronic inflammatory diseases of the breast, which consisted of 4 cases of duct ectasia, 2 cases of fat necrosis, and a case of tuberculous mastitis and granulomatous mastitis respectively. Their cytologic features mainly based on the components and the relative frequency of inflammatory cells were evaluated for differential diagnosis of chronic inflammatory breast diseases. The results are as follows; 1. In cases of duct ectasia, varying amount of neutrophils, mononuclear leukocytes, histiocytes and multinucleated giant cells were intermixed with benign epithelial cell clusters. 2 Abundant fat tissue fragments were diagnostic for fat necrosis. Histiocytes and mononuclear cells were main components but not rich, and neutrophils and giant cells were infrequently observed. 3. Characteristic granulomas composed of epithelioid cells, mononuclear leukocytes and Langhans' type giant cells and lymphocytic infiltrates were conspicuous in tuberculous mastitis, and occasionally neutrophils, necrotic materials and epithelial cell clusters were found 4. In granulomatous mastitis, epithelioid cell granulomas were also noted but numerous neutrophils and histiocytes were intermingled within or outside the granulomas.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.74-78
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• 1994

A case of retroperitoneal paraganglioma is presented with fine needle aspiration cytologic features. A 57-year-old woman complained of abdominal discomfort and left flank pain for 2 years. The abdominal CT scan revealed an ovoid mass left to the abdominal aorta. Percutaneous fine needle aspiration was performed from the mass. The smear revealed cellular sheets or groups on hemorrhagic background. The tumor cells were ovoid, round to spindle shaped with mild to moderate cellular pleomorphism. The nuclei were round to ovoid and had evenly dispersed chromatin and small nucleoli. The cytoplasm was amphophilic, finely granular and poorly defined. Cells having large or spindle nuclei were quite frequently observed, however, mitosis was not present The cytologic findings suggested paraganglioma, but the frequent spindle cell pattern and the pleomorphism made it difficult to exclude other endocrine tumors and sarcomas. The clinical, histological and ultrastructural findings as well as cytologic findings contributed to confirmatory diagnosis.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.153-158
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• 2006

Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS) is a rare soft tissue tumor. There have been only a few prior fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytological reports. Recognition of this tumor is important because of its potential for metastasis despite its indolent nature and its deceptively bland cytologic appearance. A 60-year-old male presented with a slowly growing mass in the left calf detected 10 years ago. The patient underwent surgical excision. FNA cytology was performed directly on the mass. The smears showed low cellularity composed of hypercellular tissue fragments, hypocellular loose aggregates, and stripped nuclei. The cytoplasm was seen as either collagenous material or very thin fibrillary collagen strands. Tumor cells had spindle, ovoid, or irregular nuclei, fine chromatin, and small nucleoli. Focally slight degree of nuclear pleomorphism is noted. There were no mitotic figures. Blood vessels were frequently seen. Immunocytochemically, tumor cells were negative for S-100 protein, desmin, smooth muscle actin, and CD34. The diagnosis of LGFMS is rarely possible by cytology alone; however, LGFMS should be included in the differential diagnosis of spindle-cell tumors consisting of hypercellular and hypocellular components with some capillary-sized vessels arising in the deep soft tissue of the lower extremities, particularly the thigh. The immunocytochemical findings are of help in the differential diagnosis.