Pleomorphic adenoma: Cytologic variations and potential diagnostic pitfalls.

Area of Science:

• Pathology
• Cytopathology
• Surgical Pathology

Background:

• Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) exhibits diverse morphological features.
• These variations can lead to diagnostic errors in fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC).
• Accurate pre-operative diagnosis is crucial for appropriate patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the cytological variations of pleomorphic adenoma.
• To assess the diagnostic efficacy of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for pleomorphic adenoma.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 50 cases diagnosed with PA on FNAC.
• Comparison of cytologic smear findings with definitive histologic diagnoses.
• Evaluation of specific morphological variables in cytological smears and tissue sections.

Main Results:

• High cytohistologic agreement (90%) was observed in PA diagnoses.
• Morphological diversity in histology was reflected in cytological smears.
• Specific features like metaplastic changes were more frequent in sections, while nuclear inclusions/grooves were more common in smears.

Conclusions:

• Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a fairly accurate pre-operative tool for diagnosing pleomorphic adenoma.
• Cytopathologists must be aware of the wide range of cytological variations in PA to minimize diagnostic errors.
• Understanding these variations improves diagnostic accuracy and patient care.