Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology of Thymomat

ANUCHA TANGTHANGTHAM, M.D.*, PONGLADA SUBHANNACHART, M.D.*, ITTEE CHONMAITRI, M.D.**, SUTARAT TUNGSAGUNWATTANA,M.D*

Affiliation : * Central Chest Hospital, Nontaburi 11000, ** Institute of Pathology, Bangkok 10400, Thailand. t Presented at the 5th Congress of Asia Pacific Association of Societies of Pathologists, Bangkok, December 3, 1997.

AbstractThymoma is the 2nd most common mediastinal tumor found in Thai people. Cytolo- gically it has a characteristic biphasic cell pattern and can be differentiated from other medias- tinal lesions. We reviewed 14 aspirated samples, initially diagnosed as thymoma among a total of 80 mediastinal aspirations, obtained during a period of 6 years. Revised cytologic diagnosis was made and compared with histopathology from needle biopsy surgical biopsy and surgical removal in each case. All cytologic samples revealed a mixture of epithelial cells and lym- phocytes in varying proportions. Histopathologic samples were available in 13 patients and showed 12 thymomas and 1 immature teratoma. While all thymomas revealed characteristic cytologic features, a case of mediastinal immature teratoma with unsatisfactory aspirated sample revealed resembling features and it was very difficult to differentiate such a tumor from thymoma.

Keywords : Aspiration Cytology, Thymoma

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