PAPILLARY HURTHLE CELL TUMOR OF THYROID - REPORT OF A CASE WITH A CYTOMORPHOLOGIC APPROACH TO DIAGNOSIS

BACKGROUND: Hurthle cells are founded often in fine needle aspirates o f the thyroid from nonneoplastic and neoplastic lesions. Papillary Hur thle cell tumors of the thyroid are composed of oxyphilic cells with a prominent papillary component. Papillary Hurthle cell carcinoma is a relatively uncommon type of thyroid carcinoma. CASE: A 42-year-old man had two asymptomatic nodules (2.5 and 3.5 cm) in the left lobe and on e (2.5 cm) in the right lobe of the thyroid. Fine needle aspiration bi opsy of the tumor in the left lobe showed large cells in monolayers an d papillary clusters with moderate to abundant eosinophilic, granular cytoplasm with sharp borders, a granular nuclear enlargement with pleo morphism and single nucleoli. Histologic examination showed capsular i nvasion and infiltration of vessels. CONCLUSION: The cytologic appeara nce of papillary Hurthle cell carcinoma is not specific but can be sus pected on fine needle aspiration.