title: Cytologic features of parathyroid fine-needle aspiration on ThinPrep preparations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have provided cytologic criteria that aid in the recognition of parathyroid tissue on aspirate smears, including high cellularity, the presence of naked nuclei, loose 2-dimensional clusters, and papillary architecture. However, to the authors knowledge, the cytomorphologic features of parathyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) on liquid-based preparations have not been previously described.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors retrospectively reviewed all parathyroid FNAs that had aspirate smears and a ThinPrep preparation performed over 10 years at 1 institution. The FNA smears and ThinPrep preparations from each case were deidentified and independently reviewed for cellularity, naked nuclei, architecture, and colloid-like material.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty patients were included in the current study. When individual cases were compared, the ThinPrep preparation was more likely to have lower cellularity, lack papillary architecture, lack naked nuclei, and have areas with a microfollicular pattern compared with the FNA smear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cytologic features of parathyroid tissue vary depending on preparation. Many of the common features of parathyroid aspirates are lost on ThinPrep preparations, and an increased percentage of parathyroid FNA specimens have a microfollicular pattern on ThinPrep. This may lead to difficulty in recognizing parathyroid origin on FNA.
authors.affiliation: Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.
authors.forename: Shelley I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Odronic
authors.forename: Jordan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Chute
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008867:Microtomy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010280:Parathyroid Glands / Q000473:pathology*; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone
keywords: biopsy; endocrine; head and neck; liquid-based preparation; nongynecologic cytology; thyroid