Morphologic spectrum of hepatocellular carcinoma in fine needle aspiration biopsies

The light microscopic features of fine needle aspiration smears from 52 primary hepatocellular carcinomas were reviewed. Cytologic grading of these tumors, which indicated three grade I, 29 grade II and 20 grade III carcinomas, was compatible with grading done by histologic examination. In addition to the general cellular characteristics, other cytologic features observed in the smears included bile (48% of the cases), large cytoplasmic vacuoles (23%), small cytoplasmic vacuoles (46%), eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusions (8%), basophilic cytoplasmic inclusions (48%) and intranuclear cytoplasmic inclusions (71%). The significance of these features is briefly discussed.