Importance of Individual Ghost Cells in Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology Diagnosis of Pilomatricoma

• Published in: Journal of pathology and translational medicine Vol. 52; no. 1; pp. 45 - 50
• Main Authors: Han, Kanghee, Ha, Hwa-Jeong, Kong, Joon Seog, Myung, Jae Kyung, Park, Sunhoo, Kim, Jung-Soon, Shin, Myung-Soon, Seol, Hye Sil, Koh, Jae Soo, Lee, Seung-Sook
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korean Society of Pathologists, Korean Society for Cytopathology 01.01.2018; The Korean Society of Pathologists and the Korean Society for Cytopathology; Korean Society of Pathologists & the Korean Society for Cytopathology; 대한병리학회
• Subjects: Biopsy; Cancer; Cellular biology; Fine-needle aspiration cytology; Ghost cells; Medical diagnosis; Metastasis; Original; Pilomatricoma; Tumors; 병리학; Pilomatricoma; Ghost cells; Fine-needle aspiration cytology
• ISSN: 2383-7837; 2383-7845
• DOI: 10.4132/jptm.2017.10.18

Although histological diagnosis of pilomatricoma is not difficult because of its unique histological features, cytological diagnosis through fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is often problematic due to misdiagnoses as malignancy. We reviewed the cytological features of 14 cases of histologically-proven pilomatricoma from Korea Cancer Center Hospital, with a discussion on the diagnostic pitfalls of FNAC. Among 14 cases of pilomatricoma, 10 (71.4%) were correctly diagnosed through FNAC, and two (14.3%) were misdiagnosed as carcinoma. Cytologically, all cases had easily recognizable clusters of basaloid cells and foreign body-type multinucleated cells. Although ghost cells were also found in all cases, some were inconspicuous and hardly recognizable due to their small numbers. An accurate diagnosis of pilomatricoma in FNAC is feasible with consideration of clinical information and close examination of ghost cells.