Touch cytology smear of an inflammatory hepatocellular adenoma displaying an unusual pattern: A case report

The cytological diagnosis of hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) is difficult since it is a very rare tumor and lacks characteristic cytological features. We have just reported a case of inflammatory HCA that displayed an unusual histological pattern (Clin J Gastroenterol 8:426-434, 2015). A touch cytology smear sample was obtained from the surgical specimen, and it also exhibited very unique features. A 56-year-old male underwent partial hepatectomy for an inflammatory HCA (diameter: 1.4 cm) in the right posterior lobe of the liver. The cytological sample displayed a characteristic two-cell pattern. One type of cells contained thick cytoplasm, a high nucleus/cytoplasmic (N/C) ratio, and well-defined cytoplasmic borders. The other type demonstrated small pyknotic nuclei and a lower N/C ratio. The immunohistochemical staining pattern of the histological specimen suggested that the latter cells might have been undergoing apoptosis. We report a case of inflammatory HCA with characteristic features. To diagnose this type of variant, it is important to recognize the unique pattern described in this study. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:1074-1077. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.