title: Primary malignant pleural tumors (mesotheliomas) presenting as localized masses. Fine needle aspiration cytologic findings, clinical and radiologic features and review of the literature.
abstract: The cytologic and histologic appearances of four localized primary malignant pleural tumors occurring in three patients subjected to fine needle aspiration are presented. In one case, the radiographic mass was the only manifestation of what was found to be a diffuse epithelial mesothelioma at surgery. Two other patients had localized primary sarcomatous mesotheliomas, of low grade and high grade, respectively. In the latter patient, a second metachronous but identical tumor appeared on the contralateral side during follow-up. The clinical findings, radiologic features and cytologic differential diagnosis of both the epithelial and the sarcomatous variants are discussed, together with a review of the literature pertinent to localized primary malignant pleural tumors.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008938:Mitosis; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011859:Radiography