Korean J Cytopathol.  2006 Sep;17(2):148-152.

The Cytology of a Cellular Variant of Cerebellar Hemangioblastoma in Squash Preparation : Pitfalls in Diagnosis

• Oh YL
• Suh YL

Abstract

Due to its nuclear pleomorphism, knowledge regarding the cytological findings of cerebellar hemangioblastoma can lead to misdiagnosis when using squash specimens, which in other circumstances serves as a useful adjunct in the diagnosis of brain tumors on frozen section. We recently experienced the cytological findings of a cellular variant of cerebellar hemangioblastoma in a 51-year-old man. Squash specimens revealed scattered single tumor cells, with pleomorphic nuclei and cytoplasmic vacuoles, on a hemorrhagic background. The cellular clusters were composed of spindle-shaped endothelial cellsin addition to densely clustered stromal cells. Intranuclear inclusions were frequently seen. The nuclear pleomorphism, bubbly cytoplasmic vacuoles and presence of intranuclear inclusions, seen in the squash specimen, may increase the difficulty of frozen section diagnosis of cerebellar hemangioblastoma. Awareness of the cytologicalfindings of hemangioblastoma is needed to avoid the pitfalls in the intraoperative diagnosis of cerebellar hemangioblastomas.

Keyword

Cerebellar hemangioblastoma; Cellular; Cytology; Pitfall; Squash preparation

MeSH Terms

Brain Neoplasms
Cytoplasm
Diagnosis*
Diagnostic Errors
Frozen Sections
Hemangioblastoma*
Humans
Intranuclear Inclusion Bodies
Middle Aged
Stromal Cells
Vacuoles