Abstract

The columnar cell variant of papillary carcinoma is a rare tumor of the thyroid, associated with aggressive behavior, early metastasis, and a rapidly fatal course. We present the fine needle aspiration cytologic(FNAC) findings of columnar cell variant of papillary carcinoma with cytohistologic correlation. In the smears, the tumor fragments showed mainly papillary pattern and a few scattered individual cells were present around the papillary fragments. The tumor cells were columnar or cuboidal and exhibited pseudostratification of the nuclei. The nuclei were oval to elongated with finely stippled chromatin and inconspicous nucleoli. Neither nuclear grooves nor intracytoplasmic inclusion was found. The FNAC diagnosis was consistent with papillary carcinoma. Total thyroidectomy was done and the histologic finding of the mass showed a predominantly papillary and focal solid proliferation of columar cells with marked nuclear pseudostratification. The unique histopathologic features and highly aggressive nature of columnar cell variant of papillary carcinoma require that this variant should be differeniated from common papillary carcinoma of the thyroid.

• Keywords: Columar cell variant of papillary carcinoma;Papillary carcinoma;Thyroid gland;Fine needle aspiration cytology;