title: Anterior segment tumor aspiration cutter-assisted biopsy: experience with pathology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report pathologic evaluation and diagnostic yield of an aspiration cutter-assisted biopsy of anterior segment tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, consecutive, interventional case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-five eyes of 55 patients with iris and iridociliary tumors underwent an aspiration cutter-assisted biopsy at a single institution. Cytospin and cell-block preparations were performed on all biopsy samples. Bleached preparations and a panel of immunohistochemical stains were performed in selected cases. Cytologic diagnosis was correlated with clinical diagnosis and with histopathologic diagnosis, when available. Main outcome measures were (1) specimen cellularity, (2) diagnostic studies performed, (3) cytopathologic diagnosis, and (4) concordance with histopathologic diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Specimen cellularity was adequate for cytopathologic interpretation of cytospin preparations in 55 (98.2%) of 56 biopsies. Twenty-three (41%) of 56 biopsy samples had diagnostic material in cell-block preparations. The most common cytopathologic diagnoses were melanoma (n = 39/56; 69.6%), melanocytoma (n = 4/56; 7.1%), nevus (n = 4/56; 7.1%), lymphoma (n = 2/56; 3.6%), and epithelial implantation cyst (n = 2/56; 3.6%). One biopsy sample (1.8%) yielded nondiagnostic material. Wide incisional or excisional biopsy confirmation was available in 13 (23.2%) of 56 aspiration cutter-assisted biopsy cases. Cytopathologic diagnoses were consistent with histopathologic diagnosis in 12 (92.3%) of 13 cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although specialized pathologic techniques were necessary to maximize material available for diagnosis, all biopsies yielded cellular material and 41% yielded diagnostic tissue in cell block preparation. Although lower than the yield of wide incisional or excisional biopsy, aspiration cutter-assisted biopsy of anterior segment tumors achieved a diagnostic yield of 98.2%.
authors.affiliation: The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Tatyana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Milman
authors.forename: Vasileios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Petousis
authors.forename: Steven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.forename: Paul T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Finger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000869:Anterior Eye Segment / Q000473:pathology*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D001918:Brachytherapy; D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000473:pathology*; D015353:Eye Enucleation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015811:Iris Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000473:pathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology