Adult rhabdomyoma in fine needle aspirates - A report of two cases

BACKGROUND: Adult rhabomyoma (ARh) is a rare, benign tumor arising most fre quently in the head and neck region and sometimes mimicking malignant tumor s clinically. Correct preoperative evaluation of this turner is of crucial importance as its treatment is complete excision only a,zn not radical surg ery. CASES: Two patients with ARh, one tumor presenting near the submandibular g land and the other in the thyroid area, are reported. The first tumor was c orrectly diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology. The second, clinical ly suspected to be a colloid goiter, was preoperatively diagnosed as such c ytologically ns well. After the tumor was excised, reexamination of the cyt ologic specimen disclosed follicle cells admixed with single cells from ARh ; these had been interpreted as colloid fragments at the time of primary ev aluation. CONCLUSION: Fine needle aspiration evaluation of ARh may be problematic due to the rarity of the tumor and to the similarity of the tumor cells to nor mal striated muscle and to other tumors in which cells with abundant granul ar cytoplasm are characteristic. With an awareness of the cytologic feature s of this uncommon tumor, cytopathologists can render a correct diagnosis.