title: Fine-needle aspiration cytology of ameloblastoma and malignant ameloblastoma: a study of 12 cases.
abstract: Ameloblastoma is an odontogenic tumor with aggressive biological behavior, high recurrence rate, and a complex microscopic appearance with many different histologic patterns. Primary ameloblastoma is also described in extragnathic locations. Because of its wide morphologic spectrum, which is mirrored also in cytologic smears, a thorough study of distinctive features is required to reach a reliable diagnosis. Twelve cases of ameloblastoma were examined both cytologically and histologically. The patients were seven women and five men 24-85 years old, mean age being 64 years. Eleven cases were primary tumors of the mandible and maxilla, and one case was a lung tumor metastatic from the tibia. The epithelial element in the cytologic smears of the various cases was morphologically diverse. The basaloid pattern and minimal nuclear atypia were rather constant findings, and the most helpful features toward reaching a cytological diagnosis. However in most cases, careful consideration of the clinical, radiological, cytological, and occasionally immunocytochemical data was required to rule out other entities with similar cytological findings. In some cases, the final diagnosis was only possible by histologic examination. Due to their variable microscopic morphology, ameloblastomas are quite often misdiagnosed for other entities, both benign and malignant. Nevertheless, when one is aware of their distinctive features, an accurate diagnosis can be made by fine-needle aspiration cytology, in conjunction with clinical and radiological findings. Both the preoperative surgical planning and the postoperative follow-up of the patients benefit significantly from this method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytology, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Center of Athens Hygeia, Athens, Greece. eirini_kl@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Eirini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Klapsinou
authors.forename: Archondakis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stavros
authors.forename: Angeli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smaragda
authors.forename: Proestou
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Despoina
authors.forename: Daskalopoulou
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dimitra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000564:Ameloblastoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008339:Mandibular Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008441:Maxillary Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D013977:Tibia / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult