Fine-needle aspiration cytology of a lipoblastoma: a case report.
A lipoblastoma is a rare benign tumor of immature white fat, and more than 90% of lipoblastomas occur before the age of 3 years. The diagnosis of a lipoblastoma is mostly dependent on a histopathological examination of a surgically excised specimen. However, an accurate preoperative diagnosis is essential for the planning of surgery, particularly for a lesion of the head and neck area. We experienced a case of a cervical lipoblastoma of a 23-month-old boy. A preoperative fine-needle aspiration biopsy showed the sample as moderately cellular and showed fragments of mature and immature adipose tissues containing a large number of capillary vessels. There were numerous lipoblast-looking cells with a multivacuolated cytoplasm, and the nuclei were small, compressed by vacuoles, and centrally located. According to the cytological findings, the lesion was diagnosed as a benign adipose tumor suggestive of a lipoblastoma. Subsequent surgical excision confirmed the diagnosis of the fine-needle aspiration biopsy. The cytologic features of lipoblastoma are not well known because of the rarity of the lesion. However, the fine-needle aspiration cytological features of a lipoblastoma are sufficiently characteristic to make a specific preoperative diagnosis.
Hong
Ran
R
Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea.
Choi
Dong-Youl
DY
Do
Nam-Yong
NY
Lim
Sung-Chul
SC
D017667:Adipocytes / Q000473:pathology; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008067:Lipoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography