Clinching the diagnosis: fine needle aspiration cytology

Fine needle aspiration cytology is now a recognised and well established technique. The procedure is simple and relatively non-invasive. It is cost-effective, and may significantly reduce diagnostic delay. It is particularly indicated in the diagnosis of malignant neoplasia, both primary and metastatic. It is also suitable for identification and culture of infective agents. In addition, certain other benign lesions and non-neoplastic conditions may be recognised. The contraindications and complications are few. The limitations of the procedure are related to the nature, site and size of the lesion. The accuracy of the procedure is also influenced by the adequacy of the aspirator's technique as well as the experience and skill of the pathologist.     

Adrenal histoplasmosis: a diagnosis on fine needle aspiration cytology

Histoplasmosis is a fungal disease endemic in central and eastern states of United States, South America, Africa, and Asia. It may present as chronic pulmonary infection or in disseminated form of infection. The disseminated form of histoplasmosis frequently affects the adrenal gland and is more likely to affect immunocompromised patients as compared to immunocompetent individuals. There are very few cases of adrenal histoplasmosis diagnosed on fine needle aspiration cytology. In the present era when fine needle aspiration has become popular modality for diagnosis, adrenal fine needle aspiration is still a less commonly practiced technique. We report eight cases of adrenal histoplasmosis diagnosed on fine needle aspiration cytology in patients with bilateral adrenal masses. The present case series supports the role of fine needle aspiration cytology of adrenal gland infections where surgery can be prevented and a definitive diagnosis can be made on which treatment can be offered.     

Coexistent non-Hodgkins lymphoma and ductal carcinoma breast: diagnosis on fine needle aspiration cytology

Synchronous occurrance of multiple neoplastic processes is not very common, and the relationship between breast cancer with lymphoproliferative diseases is unusual as well. Furthermore, breast involvement by non-Hodgkins lymphoma is a rare event and primary breast non-Hodgkins lymphoma is even rarer. The authors take this opportunity to report a case of primary B-cell non-Hodgkins lymphoma breast occurring in association with invasive ductal carcinoma in a 47-year-old female for its rare synchronous association.     

Rapid diagnosis of Penicillium marneffei infection by fine needle aspiration cytology

This report describes the use of fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology to make a rapid diagnosis of Penicillium marneffei infection in an HIV positive patient. P marneffei is a thermally dimorphic fungus that is a mould at 25 degrees C and a yeast at 37 degrees C. It multiplies by fission. It can be easily mistaken for various other infections that are characterised by the presence of histiocytes with phagocytosed yeast cells. In smears the demonstration of yeast cells with a distinctive central septum confirms the diagnosis.     

骨恶性淋巴瘤的细胞学诊断

目的：探讨骨恶性淋巴瘤针吸细胞学的诊断标准。方法：采用多种染色方法对细胞学针吸标本进行观察，并与组织学结果对照分析。结果：８例非霍奇金淋巴瘤中有７例为细胞学准确诊断，形态学显示其肿瘤细胞表现为单一类型的幼稚淋巴细胞。结论：细胞学对骨恶性淋巴瘤诊断结果是可靠的，其依据为以形态学基础相一致的细胞学诊断标准     

Chondroid syringoma diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology

Chondroid syringoma is a rare benign skin adnexal tumor of eccrine/apocrine origin affecting commonly the head and neck region. It used to be previously called as mixed tumor of skin because of the presence of both the epithelial and mesenchymal components. There are only few case reports describing the fine needle aspiration cytologic features of chondroid syringoma for diagnosis. We studied a 20‐year‐old male case from Taplejung district of Nepal came to Otorhinolaryngology out patient department with the complaints of painless, progressively enlarging swelling on the dorsum of nose. On examination, 2.0 × 2.0 cm, firm, non‐tender swelling was seen on the right side of dorsum of nose. Overlying skin was normal, and the swelling was fixed to the skin but freely mobile over underlying structure. A clinical diagnosis of dermoid cyst was entertained, and the case was subjected to FNAC. FNA yielded mucoid material which on microscopy showed clusters of round cells with moderate to abundant cytoplasm embedded in chondromyxoid ground substance. The nuclei were monomorphic, centrally to eccentrically located and had fine chromatin. On the basis of these cytologic features, a diagnosis of chondroid syringoma was made. We concluded that Chondroid syringoma may be considered as a rare differential diagnosis in the swelling of head and neck region and the diagnosis can be easily confirmed or ruled out by means of fine needle aspiration cytology. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

细针吸取细胞学的进展

自从上世纪80年代开始,细针吸取活检（fine needle aspiration biopsy,FNAB）,又称细针吸取细胞学（fine needle aspiration cytology,FNAC或称FNA）以其具有快捷、损伤少、经济及准确率高的优点,深受临床医生及患者的欢迎,使其应用非常广泛,几乎涉及全身所有的器官。但是,也因其取材较少导致的取材不满意率和假阴性率高,造成对组织结构观察不满意,分型不够细致和确定等缺点而局限了其应用。此方法对操作人员的技术要求也较高。未经细胞病理学专业训练的病理医生,应用FNA的效果并不理想,引发的医疗纠纷较多（美国的医疗纠纷中以FNA引发最多）,使得部分病理科医生对FNA并不十分热衷。相反粗针穿刺活检（core needle biopsy,CNB）取材较多,吸出的组织与手术切除的标本相近,病理科医生容易诊断。影像学的发展使定位准确,     

Hepatocellular carcinoma metastasizing to the orbit diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) rarely metastasizes to the orbit. We report a case of a 78-year-old man with a past history of HCC, who presented with a periorbital mass, which was diagnosed as metastatic HCC by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and subsequently confirmed on excision biopsy. The cytological, histopathological and immunohistochemical findings are presented and the differential diagnosis is discussed. To our knowledge there has been no previously reported case of HCC metastatic to the orbit diagnosed by FNAC.     

Lymphadenopathy due to Penicillium marneffei infection: diagnosis by fine needle aspiration cytology.

Penicillium marneffei is an opportunistic fungal infection that usually causes disseminated disease, mainly in immunocompromised individuals, especially those with HIV infection. Untreated cases are usually fatal. Diagnosis is traditionally made by biopsy and/or culture; successful diagnosis by fine needle aspiration (FNA) has only been reported once. We present eight cases of HIV-infected patients with lymphadenopathy caused by P. marneffei infection, in which the diagnosis was made by FNA. In all cases, intracellular and extracellular yeast forms were visualized, and the characteristic cross-septation of P. marneffei was highlighted by GMS staining. All diagnoses were confirmed by culture. Anti-fungal treatment for P. marneffei was initiated, resulting in marked clinical improvement. We conclude that a diagnosis of lymphadenopathy caused by P. marneffei can reliably be made by FNA. The diagnosis is more rapid than biopsy or culture, allowing rapid institution of therapy, particularly important in immunocompromised patients. In all our cases, not only were lymphoma and other causes of lymphadenopathy ruled out, but also the necessity for an open surgical biopsy was obviated. This can be especially beneficial to patients (e.g., three in our study) in which lymphadenopathy is confined to deep intra-abdominal nodes.     

Follicular thyroid carcinoma with metastasis to skin diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology

In April 2006, a 55-year-old female presented with a thyroid mass and multiple skin nodules on scalp, forehead and neck. Fine needle aspiration cytology of thyroid mass and multiple skin nodules show tumor cells clusters in a repetitive microfollicular pattern on May-Grunwald-Giemsa stain suggestive of follicular thyroid carcinoma with metastasis to skin. Although follicular carcinoma have a propensity for vascular invasion and hematogenous dissemination, skin is not commonly involved. Only a few cases of cutaneous metastasis from follicular thyroid carcinoma are reported in the English language literature.     

Role of fine needle aspiration cytology in diagnosis of filarial infestation

Filariasis is a tropical disease transmitted by the Culex mosquitoes. The diagnosis of it is conventionally made by demonstrating microfilariae in the peripheral blood smear. However; microfilariae and adult filarial worm have been incidentally detected in fine needle aspirates of various lesions in clinically unsuspected cases. The cases of filariasis diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) were retrieved from the archives of the Cytopathology laboratory between the periods of January 1998 to February 2009. Both Papanicolaou‐ and May–Grunwald–Giemsa‐stained smears were available in all the cases. A total of 26 diagnosed cases of filariasis were found, of which 19 were related to funiculo‐epididymitis, four presented with breast lump, and three cases with lymphadenopathy. Smears revealed fragments of adult worm in 12 cases including 10 gravid female worm containing eggs and microfilariae and two male adult worm; whereas in remaining 14 cases only microfilariae or eggs were seen. Unfertilized eggs were seen in three cases and fertilized eggs were seen in five cases. Tissue response in the form of eosinophils in 16 cases, acute inflammatory exudate in five cases, macrophages in 22 cases, epitheloid cell granulomas in five cases, giant cells in four cases, lymphocytes in 10 cases, and plasma cells in three cases were seen. Adherence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, eosinophils, and epithelioid cells were observed in four cases. On conclusion, filaria may affect the epididymis, spermatic cord, breast, and lymph node, and the accurate diagnosis can be easily and conveniently achieved by FNAC without any requirement of biopsy. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2011;39:8–12. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Bilateral angiosarcoma breast diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology

Concurrent or synchronous angiosarcoma (AS) of breast is a rarity. Specific recognition of this neoplasm in cytological specimens is difficult and conclusive diagnosis in the absence of ancillary methods is achieved only uncommonly. Herein, we present a case of bilateral AS of breasts in a 32-year-old lady diagnosed by fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology, thus enabling a definitive surgical approach. This case report emphasizes that when aspiration smears show vasoformative features consisting of microacini, arborizing microtissue fragments and intracytoplasmic lumen against a bloody background, diagnosis can be made conclusively by FNA with immunohistochemical confirmation.     

Role of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of goiter

Enlargement of the thyroid gland is a common occurrence in most parts of the world especially in the iodine-deficient goiter belt areas. Vast majority of these lesions are benign but they invariably lead to a series of investigations among which FNAC plays a pivotal role. Although many studies have reported diagnostic accuracy of FNAC in detecting neoplasms, there have been few studies where the role of FNAC in the diagnosis of goiter along with their diagnostic pitfalls has been evaluated. The present study was undertaken to assess the accuracy of FNAC in diagnosis of goiter and to highlight its limitations and diagnostic pitfalls. 771 cases over a five-year period were retrieved from the files of Cytopathology Laboratory, Department of Pathology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. They included 733 cases where the cytological diagnosis was goiter or suggestive of goiter along with 38 cases in which the histological diagnosis was goiter while the cytological diagnosis was cystic change or neoplasm. FNAC with minimum of two passes were performed in each case and May Grünwald Giemsa and Papanicolaou stains were done. Histology was available in 192 cases. The cytological and histological concordance was determined and the FNAC smears and histological sections in cases showing discordance were reviewed. There was cytological and histological concordance 130/168 (77.38%) cases. In 34 cases (20.23%) no diagnosis could be offered because of cystic change. A false positive cytologic diagnosis of neoplasm was made in 4 cases. Presence of hurthle cell metaplasia, hyperplastic nodules and papillary hyperplasias were responsible for the false positive diagnoses. In 24 cases neoplasms were initially missed on FNAC of which 10 cases could be detected on review while 5 cases were considered unsatisfactory. Sampling errors were mainly responsible for these false negative diagnoses. FNAC is thus an accurate and reliable diagnostic tool for management of goiters provided strict adherence to adequacy criteria are maintained.     

Clinician perception of fine needle aspiration cytology

Private practitioners in San Francisco were surveyed about their perceptions of fine needle aspiration cytology. The overall response rate was 60% (369/614). The responding group was uncertain about the utility of fine needle aspiration cytology in several specific clinical settings, but 83% (307/369) believed fine needle aspiration cytology will be used more extensively in the future.     

Pleomorphic adenoma of lacrimal gland: diagnosis based on fine needle aspiration cytology

A 48 years old male patient presented with a mass in the supratemporal quadrant of orbit. Fine needle aspiration (FNAC) revealed a cellular tumour with a chondrimyxoid background and epithelial cells intermingled with mesenchymal cells in a fibrillary matrix. A diagnosis of pleomorphic adenoma of the lacrimal gland was made which was confirmed on histopathology. FNA is a rapid and accurate method in diagnosis of lacrimal gland tumours.     

Diagnostic utility of fine needle non-aspiration cytology versus fine needle aspiration cytology in breast masses

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and fine needle non-aspiration cytology (FNNAC) techniques were studied in 145 cases of breast masses. All the needle-sampling procedures were done by single operator. The samples were assessed cytologically and evaluated using five parameters i.e. background blood or clot, amount of cellular material, degree of cellular degeneration, degree of cellular trauma and retention of appropriate architecture. Differences between all the individual parameters as observed in FNAC and FNNAC smears were insignificant. After evaluation of FNNAC and FNAC on the basis of these scores, greater number of diagnostically superior samples were obtained by FNNAC; however by FNAC more number of diagnostically adequate smears were observed. This difference was statistically significant. The number of unsuitable smears were also more by FNNAC technique.