FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY OF THYMIC CARCINOID-TUMOR

Carcinoid tumors of the thymus are very rare, and their cytologic find ings have not been reported previously in English. Retrospective study of fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytologic features in four histopatho logically verified thymic carcinoid tumors ave described here in detai l. The FNA cytology of thymic carcinoids is characterized by predomina ntly single and some loose clusters of small, round to oval cells with scanty cytoplasm, interspersed with same larger cells with moderate t o abundant, granular cytoplasm. The differential diagnosis of the cyto logic features between carcinoid tumor and other mediastinal tumors is also discussed.