Electron microscopy of fine needle aspiration biopsy from soft tissue tumors

The value of electron microscopy as an adjunct to fine needle aspiration cytology in the preoperative diagnosis of soft tissue tumors was studied in 22 cases. In 19 of these, the aspirated material obtained was adequate for electron microscopy analysis. The aspiration procedure did not damage the cells, and the aspirates were well suited to electron microscopic examination. In many cases this examination enhanced the precision of diagnosis and subclassification. This was the case in two intramuscular myxomas diagnosed as myxoid liposarcomas with light microscopy and in two sarcomalike squamous cell carcinomas diagnosed as polymorphous sarcomas in the ordinary smears.