title: Calcinosis cutis in chronic renal failure diagnosed by fine needle aspiration. A case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deposition of calcium salts in the skin and subcutis, referred to as calcinosis cutis, is a common complication in patients with end-stage renal disease. The lesion can present as a mass and is amenable to fine needle aspiration (FNA).
  
  
  METHODS
  A 48-year-old man undergoing hemodialysis following a failed renal transplant presented with a 1.5-cm neck nodule. A diagnosis of calcinosis cutis was made following FNA, which obtained semiliquid, chalky material.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In cytologic preparations, deposits of calcium salts can be both amorphous and refractile on Diff-Quik and Papanicolaou stain. However, the material may not be birefringent with these stains. Alizarin red S stain for calcium will permit demonstration of the characteristic birefringence.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cytopathology, Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Maria A B
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Arlene M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: de Luna
authors.forename: Jerome S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Holaysan
authors.forename: Leopoldo T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Gerardo
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling