title: Marginal vacuoles in fine-needle aspirates of follicular thyroid carcinoma.
abstract: Marginal vacuoles (MV) found in Giemsa-stained fine-needle aspirates of the thyroid gland have been observed in toxic and also in non-toxic goiters. The aim of our retrospective study was to disclose the incidence and diagnostic significance of MV in 46 smears from 43 patients with primary and/or metastatic follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC). Typical MV, MV-like structures, or both were found in 14 of 36 specimens (39%) of the primary tumor and in four of seven specimens (57%) obtained from metastases of FTC. No association between the appearance of MV/MV-like structures and degree of tumor differentiation was demonstrated. On the other hand, MV or/and MV-like structures were more frequently (69%) documented in hyperthyroid patients (P < 0.05). Accordingly, our study demonstrated relatively frequent appearance of MV or MV-like structures in FTC independent of tumor differentiation. Their appearance, however, seems to be associated with hyperthyroidism.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Volavsek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Us-Krasovec
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Auersperg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hocevar
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Golouh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D014617:Vacuoles