title: Frozen section analysis of unusual small testicular tumor masses: report of 3 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nonpalpable tumors of the testis are generally incidental findings on ultrasound examination. Most of these tumors are benign but some turn out to be germinal tumors at histology. Therefore, intraoperative histopathologic analysis of nonpalpable testicular lesions is pivotal for guiding a testis-sparing surgical approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report clinical and pathologic characteristics of 3 small nodules of the testis with challenging histologic features at intraoperative frozen section examination and peculiar histology. One was a known testicular mass, undertreated for 5 years, whose enlargement worried the patient, while the other 2 were incidental findings during clinical testicular examination for non-neoplastic diseases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 3 cases reported are characterized by small size, which limited the accuracy of preoperative ultrasound diagnosis. Intraoperative frozen section examination was able to rule out a diagnosis of germ cell malignancy in all cases, but diagnosis was conclusive only at histology. Knowledge of unexpected rare testicular lesions is of great relevance at the time of frozen section examination in view of conservative surgical strategy.
authors.affiliation:  Pathology Service, Addarii Institute of Oncology, S-Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna - Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giunchi
authors.affiliation:  Pathology Service, Addarii Institute of Oncology, S-Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna - Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vasuri
authors.affiliation:  Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Nazionale Tumori, Milan - Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colecchia
authors.affiliation:  Department of Urology, University of Bologna, S-Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna - Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.affiliation:  Department of Urology, University of Bologna, S-Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna - Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garofalo
authors.affiliation:  Department of Urology, University of Bologna, S-Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna - Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schiavina
authors.affiliation:  Pathology Service, Addarii Institute of Oncology, S-Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna - Italy.
authors.forename: Michelangelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fiorentino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005629:Frozen Sections; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009919:Orchiectomy; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome