Mucoepidermoid carcinoma
This tumor consists of squamous, mucus-producing and intermediate cells embedded in a mucinous background. It is the most common primary salivary gland malignant tumor in both children and young adults. Low, intermediate and high grade tumors are distinguished in histology on the basis of the presence of a cystic component, necrosis, neural invasion, proportion of […]
Epithelial / myoepithelial carcinoma
The tumor is composed of two cell types which form duct-like structures: ductal cells (inner layer), clear myoepithelial cells (outer layer). They can be distinguished by immunocytochemistry: the former are pan-keratin positive, the latter are S-100 positive. The cytology is that of a malignant clear cell tumor, with varying degrees of cellular and nuclear atypia. […]
Indications of head and neck cytology
The head and neck region shows the presence of many organs, many different kinds of tissues, many different cell types in each organ and tissue. What do we mean by ‘head and neck’ tumors or head and neck pathology/cytopathology? In general: all pathology/cytopathology lesions or tumors of the head and neck region. In particular: nasal, paranasal, […]
Benign salivary glands tumors
Mixed tumor Warthin tumor Oncocytoma Myoepithelial adenoma Basal cell adenoma
Sampling and preparation methods
Sampling methods Simple cytobrush sampling is easier in the oral cavity in case the lesion is localized (vesicular, ulcerated lesions). Free hand FNAB is useful in superficial lesions since they must be localized and fixed using the samplers fingers. Superficial, subcutaneous or submucosal lesions may not need US guidance; US guidance is useful to see […]
Mixed tumor
This tumor is also called pleomorphic adenoma for its composite structure. It consists of myoepithelial elements, in some cases differentiating into squamous keratinizing cells or glandular structures, together with a stromal component. The myoepithelial cells may be plasmacytoid or epithelioid. Formation of cysts may occur. The stroma may be chrondroid, hyalinized, fibrotic or even osseous, […]
Oral cavity
Exfoliative cytology of oral cavity Infections without inflammation (AIDS): cells of the superficial squamous epithelium in a dirty background which contains many different types of infectious agents, such as bacteria, fungi, etc. The complete absence of inflammatory cells is diagnostic in these cases! The differential diagnostics is certainly any kinds of immunosuppressed status (anti-cancer treatment, […]
Warthin tumor
It occurs mainly in males, it is frequently bilateral. It has a cystic, oncocytic lymphoepithelial appearance. The cytology is that of a cystic lesion. The aspirated material is usually brown, dirty and thick. The background of the smear is composed by this ‘cystic’ dirty fluid, which contains oncocytic cells, lymphocytes and histiocytes. The oncocytes are […]
Cystic lesions
One of the most complicated diagnoses in the head and neck region is that of cystic lesions. Most of the benign cysts (branchial cleft cysts, medial cysts) are covered by squamous epithelium, many of them easily undergo inflammation. Superficial and intermediate like squamous cells, sometimes reactive (amphophilic cytoplasm, large nucleus and large nucleolus, etc.), and […]
Oncocytoma
There are monomorphous middle-sized epithelial cells in a clear background. The cytoplasm is abundant and eosinophilic (non metachromatic with Giemsa stain). The cell population is homogeneous. The cells are similar to the oncocytic cells of Whartin tumor, but lymphocytes and necrotic background are missing. Typical oncocytic cells arranged in loose sheets (A). The background is […]