Fine needle aspiration cytology of a cervical lymph node lymphangioma in an adult - A case report

BACKGROUND: Although the cytologic features of cervical cystic lesions are well established, no cytology reports on lymphangioma in adults have been p ublished. CASE: A 60-year-old male presented with a slowly growing, upper laterocervi cal, painless enlargement. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) obtained 15 mL of y ellowish fluid, consisting predominantly of a uniform population of small a nd round lymphocytes without mitosis or atypia and with some histiocytes in termingled with them. Some centrocytes and occasionally centroblasts and pl asma cells could also be observed. Immunohistochemistry performed on cell b lock sections displayed polyclonal B lymphocytes mixed with T cells. The sp ecimen showed a clearly circumscribed, 50-mm, cystic lesion with a multiloc ular appearance and abundant, yellowish liquid. Microscopic examination dem onstrated cystic lymphangioma arising from the medullary portion of a lymph node. CONCLUSION: FNA cytology permits a suggested diagnosis pf lymphangioma. Thi s is one of the few reports of FNA cytology of lymphangioma and, to the bes t of our knowledge, this entity has not previously been found as a neck mas s in an adult.