FINE-NEEDLE-ASPIRATION DIAGNOSIS OF CAROTID-BODY TUMOR - REPORT OF A CASE AND REVIEW OF EXPERIENCE WITH CYTOLOGIC FEATURES IN 4 GASES

A 45-year-old-female presented with a left upper cervical swelling of 4 vr duration, The clinical suspicion of carotid body tumor (CBT) was confirmed by imaging findings, fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology, and histology of the resected tumor. Review of our experience,with fou r cases including the present one during 10 yr (1984-1994) showed that the age of the patients ranged from 35 to 45 yu with a mean of 40.8 y r: All four cases were females and had left-sided upper cervical swell ing. Clinically one case was diagnosed as cervical lymphadenopathy and there was clinical suspicion of CBT in two cases. Findings of digital subtraction angiogram in Sour cases and ultrasonography including Dop pler ultrasound vascular imaging iii three cases were consistent with CBI: The cytodiagnosis was CBT in three cases and inadequate (blood on ly) in one case. Tile analysis of detailed cytologic features in three cases revealed blood-rich aspirate with poor to moderate cellularity, indistinct cell outline, and acinar formation. Giant bare nuclei, spi ndle-shaped tumor cells, and cytoplasmic granulations were observed in two cases each, Histopathology of the resected tumors in two cases co nfirmed the cytodiagnosis of CBT FNA cytology played a useful role in arriving at a tissue diagnosis of this rare neoplasm. (C) 1997 Wiley-L iss, Inc.