Giant lamellar bodies in pulmonary MALT lymphoma - A case report

BACKGROUND: Giant lamellar bodies are laminated, scroll-like whorls seen wi thin alveolar spaces and have been occasionally observed in sclerosing hema ngioma of the lung. However, to the best of our knowledge, the cytologic fi ndings of giant lamellar bodies have not been reported. We describe cytolog ic findings of giant lamellar bodies associated with pulmonary mucosa-assoc iated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. CASE: A 72-year-old male had a pulmonary mass measuring 2.0x1.4x1.5 cm. Cyt ologic smears imprinted from a cut surface of the resected mass revealed a large number of concentrically laminated structures, giant lamellar bodies, measuring 15-40 mu m in diameter. Necrotic cellular remnants were occasion ally observed in the center of the structures. In the background, small to medium-sized lymphoid cells and plasmacytoid cells were observed. Histologi c diagnosis of the tumor tons IgG, kappa type, MALT lymphoma. An aggregate of giant lamellar bodies was observed within entrapped, dilated alveolar sp aces lined with hypertrophied, type II pneumocytes. Immunohistochemically, the giant lamellar bodies were positive for KL-6. CONCLUSION: Giant lamellar bodies may be derived from surfactant and necrot ic type II pneumocytes and may be observed cytologically in cases of pulmon ary MALT lymphoma.