Nuclear grooves. How specific are they?
OBJECTIVE
To study the significance of nuclear grooves in thyroid and extrathyroid benign and malignant lesions.


METHODS
In this retrospective study, 26 cases were selected randomly, consisting of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid (7), papillary adenocarcinoma (9), normal cervical smear (5) and benign bronchioalveolar lavage (BAL) (5). In all cases hematoxylin and eosin- and Papanicolaou-stained smears were studied for nuclear grooves.


RESULTS
Except for one case of papillary adenocarcinoma, nuclear grooves were discernible in all cases. The highest number of nuclear grooves was seen in normal cervical smears, followed by papillary carcinoma of the thyroid, papillary adenocarcinoma and BAL smears.


CONCLUSIONS
The number of grooves did not correlate with either benign or malignant conditions. These findings cast serious doubt about the diagnostic significance of nuclear grooves. Probably nuclear grooves are nonspecific findings and should be considered only in association with other diagnostic features.
Tahlan
A
A
Department of Cytology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Dey
P
P
D000231:Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002843:Chromatin / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014626:Vaginal Smears
D002843:Chromatin