ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY OF LUNG METASTASIS OF MONOPHASIC SYNOVIAL SARCOMA- REPORT OF A CASE

BACKGROUND: Synovial sarcoma usually arises in the extremities of youn g adults and metastasizes in about 50% of the cases. Fine needle aspir ation can reveal those metastases. CASE: A 65-year-old female presente d with a solid mass in the left lung from which a fine needle aspirate teas taken. Five years earlier her left foot was amputated because of a diagnosis of synovial sarcoma. Aspiration cytology from the lung re vealed numerous groups of spindle cells with scant cytoplasm and ovoid nuclei with fine, homogeneous chromatin. Only vimentin was positive. Based on the clinical, cytologic and immunocytochemical studies, a met astasis from synovial sarcoma was considered to be the most accurate c ytologic diagnosis. CONCLUSION: This case demonstrates the utility of aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of a metastatic tumor, especially in those organs in which a core or open biopsy might be too aggressiv e.