Atypical hemangioma of the breast: A diagnostic pitfall in breast fine-needle aspiration

We report on the fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology of atypical hemangio ma of thr breast in a 52-yr-old female. The patient presented with a 2-cm p alpable left breast,mass. An FNA of the mass was performed following a mamm ogram, corresponding to the palpable breast mass. The FNA demonstrated the presence of numerous atypical single spindle cells scattered throughout a h emorrhagic background An unequivocal diagnosis of malignancy was not render ed in this case. However the degree of cytologic atypia suggested a maligna nt process, and a recommendation for an excisional biopsy was made. Atypica l hemangioma should therefore be included in the differential diagnosis of angiosarcoma and other benign and malignant spindle-cell lesions of the bre ast encountered oil cytologic samples. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.