Tall cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma. A cytohistologic correlation.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the cytologic characteristics of the tall cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma in fine needle aspiration biopsies and make a cytohistologic correlation.


METHODS
The study group consisted of six patients subjected to fine needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid prior to surgical resection of the tumor.


RESULTS
Nineteen cases of the tall cell variant were identified in 229 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma (8.5%) from 1957 to 1993. Six cases had aspirates with tall cells. The patients were females with a median age of 43 years, and all had aggressive neoplastic diseases. The tumors had > 30% tall cells. The fine needle aspiration biopsy findings included nuclear grooves and abundant oxyphilic cytoplasm (100%), pseudonuclear inclusions (83.3%) and ground glass chromatin (67%). The majority of neoplastic cells had a nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio of 1:2. A tadpole shape was observed in noncohesive cells, and a respiratory epithelium-like arrangement was seen in cohesive cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Fine needle aspiration biopsy is the best method of identifying tall cells preoperatively. Nuclear and cytoplasmic changes should be added to make a firm diagnosis of the tall cell variant and to rule out columnar cell carcinoma or squamous metaplasia in goiter or usual thyroid papillary carcinoma.
Gamboa-Domínguez
A
A
Department of Pathology, Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico.
Candanedo-González
F
F
Uribe-Uribe
N O
NO
Angeles-Angeles
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology