Cytomorphometry of fine-needle aspiration biopsy material from the liver tumours

The present study describes morphometric analysis of nodular changes examined by using fine-needle aspiration biopsy guided ultrasonographically. A group of 49 patients with suspected neoplastic changes of the liver was studied including 4 hepatocellular carcinomas, 21 neoplasms metastasizing to the liver, 23 non-neoplastic changes. The whole material was divided into three major groups: A with neoplastic cells, B with non-neoplastic cells and C with suspected cells. In each case 100 cells were measured, and in each cell the surface area, maximal diameter and coefficient of shape of the cytoplasm, nucleus and nucleolus were measured. It was found that neoplastic cells have larger nuclei and nucleoli; the ratio of nucleus to cytoplasm was shifted in favour of the nucleus. The largest nucleoli are typical for hepatocellular carcinoma. Most rounded are cells of adenocarcinomas metastasizing to the liver. Morphometric measurements automatically isolate large liver cell dysplasia. The present study provides morphometric parameters of the hepatocytes in the cytological material, which may be the basis for further studies.