The Sydney system for lymph node FNA biopsy cytopathology: A detailed analysis of recent publications and meta-analysis and a proposal for the components of an ideal prospective study of a cytopathology reporting system.

BACKGROUND: The Sydney system for fine-needle aspiration biopsy of lymph nodes has five categories, stressing the role of correlation of cytopathology with clinical, ultrasound, and ancillary findings to achieve diagnosis. The five categories constitute a hierarchical system with increasing risk of malignancy from benign to atypical, suspicious, and malignant categories, which informs recommendations for further workup to achieve a final diagnosis as possible. This article analyzes 10 publications using the Sydney system and a meta-analysis of nine of these studies. The primary goal of the analysis is to ascertain the causes of the large ranges in risk of malignancy for the "atypical" and "inadequate" compared to "benign," "suspicious," and "malignant" categories, which were comparable to well-established reporting systems. Research protocols are proposed to improve future studies. METHODS: PubMed literature search from January 2021 to December 2023 identified studies evaluating performance of the Sydney system. RESULTS: Ten studies showed heterogeneity with clinical setting, study design, ultrasound use and rapid on-site evaluation, operator, cutoff points for "positive" cases, with inherent partial verification biases, resulting in a wide range of risk of malignancy, specificity, and sensitivity values. CONCLUSION: Analysis shows the large range is due to heterogeneity of the studies, which suffer from biases and variable statistical analysis that are ultimately included in any meta-analysis, detracting from the usefulness of the risk of malignancy derived by the meta-analysis. Components for ideal analyses of reporting systems are presented.

Utility of the United Kingdom National Health Services Breast Screening Program Diagnostic Protocol in Fine-needle Aspiration Cytology with Cell Block Preparation in Cases of Palpable Breast Lumps: A Reliable, Fast, and Accurate Diagnostic Method for the Assessment of Breast Lumps with Histopathologic Correlation.

Introduction: A palpable breast lump is a common diagnostic problem for clinicians and surgeons. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has many advantages such as less cost, less sample processing time, less pain, less chance of hematoma, and less discomfort. FNAC with cell block preparation further increased both sensitivity and specificity by nearly 100%. With the cell block preparation, we can also use newer tests like estrogen receptor-progesterone receptor-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Aims: The aim of this study was to derive conclusions about the correlation, including sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (NPVs), and the diagnostic accuracy of FNAC, with or without cell blocks, compared to the final histopathology in cases of palpable breast masses. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional prospective study was conducted after getting approval from the Human Ethics Research Committee from January 2018 to December 2019, which included 65 patients. Patients diagnosed clinically for breast lumps who underwent diagnostic FNAC with cell block, followed by a histopathological examination at our hospital, were included in the study. Results: FNAC without cell block sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), NPV, efficiency rate, and diagnostic accuracy are 91.3%, 100%, 100%, 90.1%, 86.2%, and 96.5%, respectively. FNAC with cell block sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, efficiency rate, and diagnostic accuracy are all 100%. All of our results beat the standard estimate. Conclusions: Fine-needle aspiration cytology is a patient-friendly, easy, reliable, repeatable, and simple diagnostic test. Whenever it is combined with cell block preparation, improves the accuracy of FNAC diagnosis which is more accurate and comparable to golden-standard biopsy with histopathology examination.

The Great Impostor: A challenging case of small-cell melanoma with isolated adrenal metastasis.

Small-cell melanoma masquerading as an adrenal non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The index report illustrates the deceptive cytomorphologic features of a small cell type malignant melanoma metastatic to the adrenal gland. The diagnosis was confirmed by performing immunocytochemistry on the cell block sections. The key cytomorphologic mimics and their distinctive features have also been highlighted.

Thyroid Fine-Needle Aspiration: The Current and Future Landscape of Cytopathology.

Thyroid cytology is a rapidly evolving field that has seen significant advances in recent years. Its main goal is to accurately diagnose thyroid nodules, differentiate between benign and malignant lesions, and risk stratify nodules when a definitive diagnosis is not possible. The current landscape of thyroid cytology includes the use of fine-needle aspiration for the diagnosis of thyroid nodules with the use of uniform, tiered reporting systems such as the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology. In recent years, molecular testing has emerged as a reliable preoperative diagnostic tool that stratifies patients into different risk categories (low, intermediate, or high) with varying probabilities of malignancy and helps guide patient treatment.

Salivary Gland Fine-Needle Aspiration: The Current and Future Landscape.

Fine-needle aspiration represents a valid tool for the diagnosis/management of salivary gland lesions. The past years assessed the lack of uniform diagnostic reports for salivary cytopathology leading to interpretative issues. In 2015, an international group of cytopathologists developed an evidence-based tiered classification system for reporting salivary gland fine-needle aspiration (FNA) specimens, the "Milan System for Reporting Salivary Gland Cytopathology" (MSRSGC). The present landscape of salivary cytology is represented by the growing adoption of the MSRSGC and the assessment of its diagnostic role. The future landscape is characterized by the increasing role of ancillary techniques for diagnostic and prognostic purposes.

Occult Thyroid Carcinoma with Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis: A Rare Case Report.

Cervical lymph node metastasis is one of the most common clinical presentations of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Occult thyroid carcinoma is described as absence of primary tumour or with presence of microcarcinoma in thyroid with cervical lymph node metastasis. Frequency of occult thyroid cancer has decreased due to developments in imaging and improved accuracy of histological examinations. 38 year old male presented to us with complaints of swelling over the left side of neck for the past 2 months. Ultrasonography was suggestive of multiple suspicious enlarged nodes in left level II, III, IV and V and fine needle aspiration cytology showed features of metastatic PTC. He was planned for total thyroidectomy with central compartment clearance and bilateral functional neck dissection. Final histopathology staging was pT0N1b. Radioactive iodine (RAI) screening showed residual functioning thyroid and later therapeutic RAI was administered. He has been on regular follow up and disease free for 1 year post treatment. Occult thyroid carcinoma is a rare diagnosis with multiple treatment plans. Few hypothesis for this entity includes tumor regression, ectopic thyroid carcinoma or missed pathological findings.

Fine-Needle Aspiration for Actionable Diagnosis of Mandibular Osteosarcoma Recurrence.

INTRODUCTION: Mandibular osteosarcoma (MOS) is a rare malignant bone tumour known for its rapid and aggressive behaviour, particularly in cases of relapse. Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 48-year-old woman with recurrent MOS. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was utilized for diagnosis, facilitating prompt and appropriate treatment. The FNAC technique proved essential in confirming the diagnosis quickly, allowing for timely intervention. CONCLUSION: This case underscores the importance of FNAC in diagnosing MOS, especially in relapse situations where swift treatment is critical. FNAC can be a valuable tool in ensuring rapid and accurate diagnosis, leading to better patient outcomes.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology in Cervical Lymphadenopathies at a Tertiary Care Center in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Introduction  Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has become widely used as a first-line diagnostic tool in the evaluation of cervical lymphadenopathies (LADs). However, there are conflicting reports regarding its accuracy in differentiating between malignant and benign pathologies. In this study, we aim to determine the reliability of FNAC in distinguishing between benign and malignant pathologies causing cervical LAD. Methods This is a cross-sectional study reviewing the electronic medical records of all patients who underwent both FNAC and excisional biopsy of cervical LADs between January 2016 and December 2023 at a tertiary care center in the Kingdom of Bahrain. A comparison was conducted between the cytopathological results obtained by FNAC and the histopathological results obtained by excisional biopsy to determine the diagnostic accuracy of FNAC. Results In the study period, 83 patient records were reviewed and included in the data analysis. Fine-needle aspiration cytology yielded a sensitivity of 89.3%, a specificity of 55.6%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 72.4%, a negative predictive value (NPV) of 80.0%, and an overall accuracy of 74.7% in diagnosing cervical LADs. Conclusion Despite FNAC being accessible, convenient, and cost-effective, it has certain limitations that can restrict its accuracy in diagnosing lymphomas. We recommend further studies to research these limitations and the possible tools, such as ancillary testing, that may be useful in overcoming them.

"Immunocytochemistry in Cytology: Myth or Reality": Unraveling the Myth - Immunocytochemistry Applications in Thyroid Lesions.

BACKGROUND: Fine-needle aspiration cytology serves as an important preoperative diagnostic tool for thyroid nodules. Despite its excellent diagnostic accuracy, diagnoses based solely on morphological observation can be challenging. Therefore, various ancillary diagnostic techniques have been applied, including immunocytochemistry (ICC). This review discusses the application and evaluation of ICC in thyroid fine needle aspiration. SUMMARY: Currently, three immunostaining preparation methods are available for cytological materials: liquid-based cytology, cell block, and cell transfer. ICC proves valuable in scenarios such as tumour diagnosis, assessment of differentiation and grading of carcinomas, estimation of primary organs in metastatic carcinomas, and detection of gene abnormalities. However, ICC, while useful, is not as accurate as immunohistochemistry and is more difficult to evaluate. KEY MESSAGES: If the pitfalls and limitations are understood and effectively navigated, ICC could play a significant role in decreasing the non-diagnostic rate, thus leading to more accurate and valuable diagnoses and reductions in the re-aspiration rate.

Diagnostic value of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology in the pathological natures of thyroid nodules: A retrospective study.

Objective: Thyroid nodules, a clinical disease with high incidence, include benign and malignant types. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic value of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (US-FNAC) in determining the pathological nature of thyroid nodules and to conduct an in-depth analysis of its diagnostic efficacy across nodules of varying sizes. Material and Methods: This retrospective study identified 116 patients undergoing thyroidectomy in Zibo Central hospital from January 2022 to March 2023, with 98 meeting the study's inclusion criteria. All patients received ultrasound and US-FNAC examinations before surgery to analyze the ultrasonic features of thyroid nodules. The diagnosis results of pathological natures obtained by US-FNAC were analyzed with the result of post-operative pathological examination as the gold standard. The patients were divided into four groups according to the median and quartile of nodular diameters to explore the diagnostic efficacy of US-FNAC for the pathological natures of thyroid nodules with various diameters and comprehensively evaluate its application value. The evaluation tool of diagnostic efficacy was the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: A total of 98 puncture nodules were evaluated, with a diameter of 0.8-5.2 cm. Post-operative pathological examination showed 10 (10.20%) benign and 88 (89.80%) malignant lesions. The ultrasound examination showed 14 (14.29%) benign and 84 (85.71%) suspected malignant lesions. The US-FNAC results showed 2 cases (2.04%) of type I, 9 cases (9.18%) of type II, 3 cases (3.06%) of type III, 29 cases (29.59%) of type IV, 39 cases (39.80%) of type V, and 16 cases (16.33%) of type VI, including 9 (9.18%) benign and 84 (85.72%) malignant lesions and 5 (5.10%) uncertain pathological natures. According to the median and quartile of nodular diameters, specifically, 1.90 (1.60, 2.30) cm, 93 nodules with decided pathological natures were divided into groups Q1 (n = 24, ≤1.6 cm), Q2 (n = 26, 1.7-1.9 cm), Q3 (n = 24, 2.0-2.3 cm), and Q4 (n = 19, >2.3 cm). The results of ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of US-FNAC diagnosis were 0.894, 98.80%, and 80.00%, respectively. The AUCs of US-FNAC in groups Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 were 0.978, 1.000, 0.977, and 0.971. The AUCs of Q1 group, Q2 group, Q3 group and Q4 group were all > 0.9, and US-FNAC had high diagnostic efficiency for the pathological properties of thyroid nodules with different diameters. Conclusion: US-FNAC has a high diagnostic efficiency for the pathological properties of thyroid nodules. Whether the nodule diameter has an effect on the accuracy of this method requires more clinical evidence.

Double trouble: insights from a rare case of extranodal composite lymphoma in an elderly man, with comprehensive literature review.

Composite lymphoma (CL) is a rare cancer characterized by the concurrent occurrence of more than one type of lymphoma within the same organ or tissue in an individual. Its occurrence at extranodal sites is exceptional, with only a few cases documented in the literature. A 62-year-old gentleman presented with dystonia, dysphagia, and irregular enlargement of the right tonsil for the last three months. Based on a clinical suspicion of tonsillar malignancy, tonsillectomy was done. The histopathologic examination revealed effacement of the architecture by large irregular lymphoid nodules with interfollicular expansion. The nodules showed sheets of small atypical lymphoid cells, while the interfollicular areas showed large atypical lymphoid cells with scattered typical binucleate Reed-Sternberg cells. Immunohistochemistry confirmed mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in the nodules and classical HL (cHL) in the interfollicular areas. Based on these features, a diagnosis of composite MCL with cHL was rendered. He was treated with bendamustine and rituximab chemotherapy and remained in complete remission for five years when he presented with significant right-sided neck swelling. Percutaneous fine needle aspiration and subsequent flow cytometry confirmed a relapse of the MCL component of the CL. The index report documents an exceptional case of CL, comprising MCL and cHL, presenting at an uncommon extranodal site. In addition, it also emphasizes the importance of adequate sampling and the simultaneous use of immunochemistry and/or flow cytometry to confirm the presence of more than a single type of lymphoma, which may be easily overlooked on microscopy alone.

Overcoming Pitfalls in Breast Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology: A Practical Review.

BACKGROUND: Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a cornerstone technique for the initial assessment of breast lesions, offering a rapid and minimally invasive option for cytological evaluation. While FNACs can forego the need for core needle biopsies (CNBs), variations in technique, subjective interpretation, and intrinsic limitations present diagnostic challenges. The International Academy of Cytology (IAC) established the Yokohama system and is developing the WHO Reporting System for Breast Cytopathology jointly with IARC, to standardize diagnostic criteria, aiming to enhance diagnostic precision and consistency. Due to the preference for CNBs, expertise in breast FNAC is low in the developed world. SUMMARY: This review assesses common pitfalls in breast cytopathology. These common and uncommon entities may easily lead to false-negative or false-positive diagnoses, due to morphological overlap or misleading clinical and radiological contexts. For instance, pauci-cellular lesions, such as lobular carcinomas, often lead to false-negative diagnoses, whereas complex sclerosing lesions, fibroadenomas, and papillary lesions may show concerning features, resulting in a false positive. The same is true for some benign inflammatory pathologies, such as steatonecrosis, and uncommon lesions, such as collagenous spherulosis. Ductal carcinoma in situ can lead to both false-negative and false-positive diagnoses, and high-grade lesions are impossible to tell apart from invasive carcinomas. These are discussed in detail. Procedural and preanalytical conditions, and the role of ancillary testing, are also briefly addressed. KEY MESSAGES: Breast FNAB is a powerful diagnostic technique, fast and minimally invasive. Even in contexts which lack expertise, this technique can be successfully adopted with a cautious approach and as long as pitfalls are kept in mind, benefiting patients and healthcare systems.

Chronic Suppurative Thyroid Abscess: A Case Report.

Thyroid abscess is a rare occurrence and is characterized by an accumulation of pus within the thyroid gland. It most commonly forms as a sequela of acute suppurative thyroiditis, and it presents as a painful swelling of the anterior neck with fever. Patients may also develop referred ear pain and compressive symptoms such as difficulty breathing and swallowing as the abscess enlarges. On examination, the swelling is often associated with erythema, local rise of temperature, and tenderness. Laboratory investigations may reveal leukocytosis, elevated acute phase reactants, and an abnormal thyroid function test. Despite advancements in diagnostic modalities and treatment approaches, literature on thyroid abscesses remains limited. We present a unique case of a long-standing thyroid abscess resulting from chronic suppuration which did not exhibit any of the mentioned expected findings seen in other cases. This patient was euthyroid, and laboratory investigations showed no significant abnormality. It was successfully treated with total thyroidectomy and appropriate antibiotics.

Case report: Lymph node metastasis of pelvic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a common soft tissue malignant tumor, especially in young patients. Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) is a subtype of RMS that is prevalent in adolescents. This malignant tumor usually develops in the extremities and can also involve the trunk, perineum, and pelvis. Now, we report a rare case of pelvic lymph node metastatic alveolar RMS in a young patient, which was determined by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case in which the definite diagnosis of ARMS was initially made by FNAC.

Cytomorphological findings in confirmed cases of tubercular lymphadenitis.

Objective: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major health problem, especially in the developing countries. Fine-needle aspiration cytology is the first line of investigation for tubercular lymphadenitis as it is easy to perform, less invasive, quick, and economical. The typical cytopathological features of tuberculosis TB include epithelioid cell granulomas with Langhans giant cells and caseous necrosis. The present study aimed to evaluate the cytomorphological features of newly diagnosed cases of tubercular lymphadenitis confirmed by GeneXpert. Material and Methods: This was a retrospective study in which all fine-needle aspirates from newly diagnosed cases of tubercular lymphadenitis confirmed by GeneXpert over a 1-year period from July 2022 to July 2023 were included in the study. The May-Grunwald-Giemsa stained smears from these aspirates were categorized into three patterns-epithelioid cell granulomas with necrosis, epithelioid granulomas without necrosis, and necrosis only. The granulomas were further categorized into well-formed, ill--formed, and splintered. The background of the aspirate which included a reactive lymphoid background, lymphocytes, eosinophils, and neutrophils was tabulated for all the cases. Results: Out of the three cytomorphological patterns, epithelioid granulomas with necrosis were the most predominant (67.5%), followed by necrosis only (20.8%) and granulomas without necrosis (11.6%). An acid-fast bacilli (AFB) positivity of 53.3% (64 cases) was seen on the Ziehl-Neelsen stain. Well-composed, poorly formed, and splintered granulomas were seen in 55 (57.9%), 42 (44.2%), and 21 (22.1%) cases, respectively. Neutrophils were the most common background population (42, 35%) followed by lymphocytes (36, 30%). Reactive lymphoid cells and eosinophils were seen in 12 (10%) and 3 (2.5%) cases, respectively. Conclusion: Fine-needle aspiration cytology is a rapid inexpensive minimally invasive test for tubercular lymphadenitis as epithelioid cell granulomas along with caseous necrosis are highly suggestive of TB. However, manual acid-fast AFB detection has a low sensitivity as is illustrated in the present study where only AFBwas demonstrated in only 53.3% of cases.

Cytological diagnosis of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma with a unique pattern of D2-40 immunoexpression.

Fine needle aspiration procedure is routinely used for cytological diagnosis of nodal or extra nodal lesions. Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is a rare mesenchymal neoplasm arising from follicular dendritic cells of lymphoid follicles at nodal and extranodal sites. Multimodal therapies have emerged for FDCS, necessitating its accurate pathologic diagnosis with additional ancillary testing for directing clinical management. By immunohistochemical analysis, FDCS is positive for the complement receptors CD21, CD23, and CD35. In addition, D2-40 is reported to be highly sensitive for FDCS with a strong membranous pattern of expression. In this study, we present the cytological diagnosis of a case of FDCS in retroperitoneal lymph nodes with an emphasis on a unique staining pattern of D2-40 which showed a strong nuclear pattern in tumor cells comparable to the membranous pattern of D2-40 on the control tissue and other surgical cases of FDCS in our comparative study.

Washout CYFRA 21-1: A tool to improve diagnostic accuracy of fine needle aspiration in the diagnosis of metastatic lymph nodes in papillary thyroid cancer.

Thyroid carcinoma has an increasing incidence of endocrine system cancers. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and thyroglobulin (Tg) are the primary diagnostic modalities employed for assessing metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) in thyroid cancer. Due to the limited accuracy, rare patients benefited from these procedures. In this research, we aimed to discover a dependable biomarker that could increase the accuracy of FNAC's ability to diagnose metastatic LNs among patients suffering from papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). From March 2021 to July 2023, 99 LNs from PTC patients who had thyroid ultrasonography suspicions of metastases were examined. All patients underwent FNAC, washout Tg and CYFRA 21-1 measurements. Surgical histology and a subsequent FNAC were utilized to validate the outcomes of LNs. In our study, the optimal cut-off value for CYFRA 21-1 washout fluid was 1.145 ng/mL, with a specificity of 94.00 % (slightly lower than Tg and FNAC at 98 %). However, CYFRA 21-1 demonstrated significantly higher diagnostic sensitivity (85.71 %) and accuracy (86.41 %) compared to Tg (71.43 %, 81.55 %) and FNAC (69.39 %, 80.58 %). Furthermore, FNAC plus washout CYFRA 21-1 performed better in diagnosing the metastatic LNs in PTC than FNAC plus Tg, which may indicate a novel solution for metastatic LNs diagnosis in PTC.

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data Systems Classification in Risk Stratification and in the Management of Thyroid Swelling by Comparing It With Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology and Histopathological Examination.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid nodules are a common clinical challenge, with a significant proportion being cancerous. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is widely used for diagnosis but has limitations. Ultrasound has emerged as a promising tool for distinguishing between benign and malignant nodules. This study aims to compare the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography (USG) and FNAC in diagnosing malignant thyroid swelling using postoperative histopathological examinations as the gold standard. METHOD: A diagnostic accuracy study was conducted over 1.5 years at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, India. A total of 132 patients with thyroid swellings were included. Patients underwent USG and FNAC, and 99 patients subsequently underwent surgery and histopathological examination. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the performance of USG and FNAC, including sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). RESULTS: The study encompassed 132 patients, predominantly 94 (71.21%) females. Most patients, i.e., 76 out of 132 (57.58%), were aged 30-50 years, with an average age of presentation at 41 years. Socioeconomic status revealed 120 (90.9%) belonging to Classes II and III. USG and FNAC exhibited sensitivities of 77.4% and 90.3%, specificities of 94.1% and 98.5%, and accuracies of 88.9% and 96.0%, respectively. FNAC demonstrated superior diagnostic performance metrics compared to USG, with higher PPV and NPV, indicating its stronger ability to correctly identify true-positive cases. Ultrasound features and FNAC findings showed significant associations with biopsy results, reaffirming their utility in diagnosing thyroid nodules. CONCLUSION: FNAC emerged as a highly accurate diagnostic tool for distinguishing between benign and malignant thyroid nodules, outperforming USG. Understanding demographic and clinical characteristics can aid in the timely diagnosis and management of thyroid disorders. Further research is warranted to enhance diagnostic algorithms and optimize patient care in resource-constrained settings.

Cytological features of a lymphoepithelial cyst of the salivary gland with application of the second edition of Milan System for Reporting Salivary Gland Cytopathology.

Lymphoepithelial cysts (LECs) of the salivary glands are relatively rare, benign cystic lesions. Characteristic histopathological features of LEC include presence of well-circumscribed unilocular cysts surrounded by dense lymphoid tissue with lymphoid follicles. These cysts are lined by a combination of squamous, ciliated, columnar and mucous epithelia. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology is the standard preoperative diagnostic procedure for salivary gland lesions. Although the cytological diagnosis of cystic salivary gland lesions is difficult, the use of Milan System for Reporting Salivary Gland Cytopathology (MSRSGC) in the cytodiagnosis of cystic salivary gland lesions has been reported. However, only a few studies have described the cytological features of LEC. To the best of our knowledge, the present study reviewed the cytological features of a case series of LEC and evaluated the application of MSRSGC for the first time. This retrospective study included 13 patients with LEC of the salivary glands who underwent pre-operative FNA followed by surgical resection of the cyst. All the lesions were present in the parotid gland. Cytological analysis revealed no epithelial cell component in eight patients (62.5%) along with a proteinaceous background containing lymphocytes and/or foamy cells. Non-keratinising squamous epithelium was observed in three patients. Amylase crystalloids were noted in two patients. None of the patients were cytodiagnosed with LEC. Eight, three, one and one patients were categorised as MSRSGC I, II, III, and IVa, respectively. The results of the present study demonstrated that cytodiagnosis of LEC was difficult due to the absence of epithelial component in 62.5% of the specimens. However, evaluation of its benignity was not difficult. Thus, it can be summarized that MSRSGC may be useful for cytological evaluation of LECs.

Extracranial metastasis from a frontal embryonal tumor to the parotid: Cytomorphologic features of a rare occurrence.

Embryonal tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) are rare and aggressive malignancies accounting for less than 1% of all central nervous system tumors. The occurrence of metastasis to extracranial sites, especially the parotid region, is highly uncommon. We present a rare case of metastatic frontal embryonal tumor (ET) in the parotid region. A 9-year-old boy presented with a progressively enlarging left parotid mass. Past history revealed that he was a known case of a frontal lobe embryonal tumor. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) combined with immunocytochemistry from the parotid revealed a metastatic embryonal tumor. This case report highlights the importance of considering metastatic tumors in evaluating parotid masses, even in pediatric patients, and emphasizes the diagnostic potential of FNAC in diagnosing such rare and unusual tumors for prompt and appropriate patient management.