title: Lymphangioma of the posterior mediastinum in an adult: diagnosis via cytopathologist-assisted fine-needle aspiration biopsy with cell block.
abstract: Lymphangiomas are uncommon in the posterior mediastinum. We report a case of a lymphangioma in this location that was diagnosed by computed tomographic-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy. The cell block of the lesion closely simulated a normal structure immediately adjacent to the target and could have been misdiagnosed as "normal tissue." On-site evaluation of the aspirate by a cytopathologist promoted pathologist-radiologist communication that helped prevent the potential error and facilitated making the correct diagnosis in the case.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756, USA.
authors.forename: Bryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coffing
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Gutmann
mesh_terms: D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D003581:Cytodiagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008202:Lymphangioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed