title: The number of nucleoli in benign and malignant thyroid lesions: a useful diagnostic sign in cytological preparations.
abstract: The slides of fine needle aspiration cytology specimens from 99 cases of cold thyroid nodules with known histology were reviewed and the number of nucleoli per nucleus counted and correlated with the different histopathological groups. Significant differences were observed between benign and malignant thyroid lesions in the number of nucleoli in the cytological material. Lower values were present in nodular goitres and follicular adenomas compared to carcinomas. In benign lesions the majority of nuclei contained one nucleolus and nuclei with two, three or more nucleoli were less frequent than in follicular, papillary, medullary and anaplastic carcinomas. Only one case of follicular adenoma had cells containing three or more nucleoli compared to more than half the cases of follicular carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Morbid Anatomy and Histopathology, University of Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Montironi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Braccischi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scarpelli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sisti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Matera
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Mariuzzi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alberti
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Collan
mesh_terms: D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000473:pathology*; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000648:ultrastructure*