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Fine needle aspiration cytology of bursal cyst
Rajpal Singh Punia1, Shalini Gupta, Uma Handa
1Departments of Pathology and Orthopaedics, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India.
Objective:
To evaluate the cytomorphology of bursal cyst and assess the efficacy of aspiration cytology in its diagnosis and treatment.
Study Design:
Nineteen cases of bursal cyst seen over four years were studied. Material was obtained by fine needle aspiration. The smears were stained with May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain and hematoxylin and eosin.
Results:
Eight cysts were in the popliteal fossa, 4 on the elbow, 3 on the knee, 2 on the shoulder and 2 in the calf. Gelatinous material was aspirated in all the cases. In some cases the cyst collapsed after aspiration. The key diagnostic features were hypocellular smears in a mucoid background. Histiocytelike (synovial) cells were seen lying in all cases and as pseudopapillary structures in two.
Conclusion:
The presence of a cyst at a classic location with aspiration of gelatinous material and the presence of singly occurring histiocytelike cells in a mucoid background in smears is diagnostic of bursal cyst. The procedure is therapeutic in some cases.