Cytology of giant-cell glioblastoma

A case is presented in which smears and touch imprints of a parietal tumor in a 58-year-old female revealed two distinct and easily recognizable cellular populations. The first was predominant and consisted of densely packed cells of an astroglial nature. The other was made up of unusually large giant cells with highly malignant features. The cytology of these combined cell types allowed the correct diagnosis of giant-cell glioblastoma at the time of surgery. Their cytomorphology, which has seldom been reported, supported the interpretation of an astroglial nature of this tumor.