Application of adjunct techniques in cytologic material in the diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma: case report and review of the literature.
A 4(1/2)-yr-old female presented with right-sided pleural effusion and a retroperitoneal mass. Cytologic analysis of the pleural fluid yielded malignant small round blue cells, which were noncohesive, 3-4 times the size of lymphocytes. The malignant cells had hyperchromatic, pleomorphic nuclei with moderate amounts of vacuolated cytoplasm. A few fiber-shaped cells were also seen. Immunostains for desmin, muscle-specific actin were positive; ultrastructural findings of thick and thin actin-myosin filaments confirmed the diagnosis of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. This case illustrates the importance of performing appropriate immunohistochemical stains and ultrastructural studies on cytological material to arrive at a definitive diagnosis.
Department of Pathology, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA.
Baishali
B
Bhattacharya
Dinesh
D
Sariya
Vijaya B
VB
Reddy
Larry
L
Kluskens
Victor E
VE
Gould
Paolo
P
Gattuso
D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed