title: Focal fatty change of the liver: cytologic findings in a radiographic mimic of metastases.
abstract: Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is being increasingly utilized for the workup of patients with suspected metastatic disease. In the course of these biopsies, cytologists are being confronted by a variety of nonneoplastic lesions which radiographically simulate metastatic deposits. Some of these lesions will predominately reveal hepatocytes. One of these cytologically poorly characterized lesions is focal fatty change. Aspirates show a population of benign hepatocytes with single or multiple clear cytoplasmic vacuoles. Recognition of the entity along with accurate needle placement in the nodule can establish the diagnosis of focal fatty infiltration and negate the need for further biopsies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Layfield
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000556:secondary; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D003581:Cytodiagnosis; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D011859:Radiography