Fine-needle aspiration biopsy diagnosis of pediatric neoplasms

A series of fine-needle aspiration biopsies performed in 635 children were reviewed. The diagnosis rendered in these patients included malignant lymphoma in 139 (21.9%), Hodgkin's disease, 25 (3.9%); neuroblastoma, 58 (9.1%); Wilms' tumor, 37 (5.8%); Ewing's sarcoma, 32 (5.0%); rhabdomyosarcoma, 25 (3.9%); retinoblastoma, 22 (3.5%); leukemia infiltrate, 33 (5.2%); and miscellaneous tumors, 52 (8.2%). In 171 patients (26.9%), the biopsy was nondiagnostic. The cytomorphological characteristics of these lesions are briefly described and illustrated. Salient morphological features are further correlated with histological and ultrastructural appearances.