Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine

Case Report

Touch Imprint Cytology Contributed to the Frozen Section Diagnosis of Merkel Cell Carcinoma : A Case Report.: Changyoung Yoo, Youn Soo Lee, Joo Wan Park, Suk Kang Chang, Sang In Shim, Gyeong Sin Park, Kyo Young Lee; Korean J Cytopathol. 2006;17(2):143-147.

Abstract PDF: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a rare primary cutaneous small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, is a tumor with distinct cytological features. In many cases, immunohistochemical staining (IHC) is required for the differentiation from other small round cell malignancies. Here we describe the cytological findings of Merkel cell carcinoma; these findings contributed to the diagnosis prior to performing IHC. A lower eyelid mass was excised and submitted for frozen section diagnosis. The frozen section diagnosis was consistent with a malignancy, but the more specific diagnosis was limited by the lack of specific histological features. Touch imprint cytology revealed a high cellularity with loosely cohesive small to large sized cells. The tumor cells showed hyperchromatic nuclei with fine chromatin and inconspicuous nucleoli, and thin-rimmed-cytoplasm including the characteristic eosinophilic button-like paranuclear inclusion, previously described as a pathognomonic cytological finding of MCC; this was not found in the H&E frozen section. In conclusion, we suggest that the touch imprint cytology may help in the differential diagnosis of small round cell neoplasms prior to performing IHC especially in frozen section diagnosis.

Original Article

Morphometric Analysis of Malignant Lymphoma.: In Sook Kim, Eun Kyung Hong, Jong Dal Lee; Korean J Pathol. 1990;24(2):128-136.

Abstract PDF: Nuclear morphology and size are important in the diagnosis and classification of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The recognition of morphologic features of the lymphoma cells and their interpretation are somewhat subjective and often difficult. We apply the morphometric study in touch imprints from 22 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma classified by Working formulation. Determination of the exact size of the tumor cells and substantial diagnostic value of this method compared with histology are proposed. Morphometric parameters, including nuclear area, perimeter, maximal diameter (D-max), diameter of an equivalent circle for a measured area (D-circle), circularity factor (From PE) and regularity factor (Form AR) are measured, using Kontron, user-controlled image analyser (IBAS-1). The correlation between morphometric and histologic diagnosis is relatively good, except for 2 cases of Burkitt's lymphoma, measured as large cell and 2 cases of large cell lymphoma measured as medium cell. The most reliable parameter of the nuclear size is D-circle. The parameters for the nuclear shape, Form PE and Form AR, also reflect the nuclear cleavage and polymorphous pattern. The large cell group shows more wide standard deviation than small and medium cell groups, reflecting heterogeneity and variability in unclear size of large cell group. We suggests the morphometric analysis using touch imprints is complementary diagnostic tool for more accurate and reproducible diagnosis.

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