FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY OF PLEUROPULMONARY BLASTOMA - CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

This report describes the fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology of a c ase of pleuropulmonary blastoma in a 3-yr-9-mo-old male. Pleuropulmona ry blastoma is considered by most authors to be distinct from pulmonar y blastoma and is a rare malignant tumor of the intrathoracic cavity. FNA smears were cellular with numerous small ovoid to spindled cells w ith oval to elliptical nuclei exhibiting finely granular chromatin and inconspicuous nucleoli. The cytoplasm was scant and eosinophilic with indistinct borders. Focal chondroid material and blastema-like cells were noted. The differential diagnosis suggested by the cytologic find ings included rhabdomysosarcoma, teratoma, neuroblastoma, malignant me senchymoma, pleuropulmonary blastoma, and metastatic tumor. To our kno wledge, this is the first report of the cytology of this tumor. (C) 19 97 Wiley-Liss, Inc.