Korean J Cytopathol.  2001 Dec;12(2):111-115.

Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology of Solitary Fibrous Tumor of the Pleura: Report of a case misdiagnosed as denocarcinoma of lung

• Choi YL
• Oh YL
• Lee MS
• Han JH
• Ahn GH

Abstract

Solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura is rare but should be included in the differential diagnosis of a peripheral pulmonary nodule. Cytologic features of solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura is not familar to the pathologist and may be misdiagnosed as malignancy. We report fine needle aspiration cytologic(FNAC) findings of a case of solitary fibrous tumor misdiagnosed as adenocarcinoma in a 48-year-old woman. The FNAC displayed a mixture of bland-looking spindle cells and clusters of epithelioid cells, which have hyperchromatic nuclei with prominent nucleoli. The helpful finding to distinguish it from other circumscribed benign and malignant lesions is the presence of fibromyxoid matrix admixed with blood vessels and thin collagen fibers. Familiarity with these features is essential to avoid misdiagnosis and overtreatment.

Keyword

Pleura; Neoplasm; Solitary fibrous tumor; Fine needle aspiration cytology; Adenocarcinoma

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma
Biopsy, Fine-Needle*
Blood Vessels
Collagen
Diagnosis, Differential
Diagnostic Errors
Epithelioid Cells
Female
Humans
Lung*
Middle Aged
Pleura
Recognition (Psychology)
Solitary Fibrous Tumor, Pleural*
Solitary Fibrous Tumors*
Collagen