Fine needle aspiration biopsy of a small round cell tumor exhibiting both neural and myogenic differentiation. A case report
Ravinsky, E.; Safneck, J.R.; Quinonez, G.; Yazdi, H.M.
Acta Cytologica 41(4 Suppl): 1320-1324
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-5547 PMID: 9990266 Document Number: 470181
BACKGROUND: Divergent differentiation may not be detected in the limited material available in a fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). CASE: A small round cell malignancy showed neural features ultrastructurally on FNAB, in keeping with primitive neuroectodermal tumor, but desmin and actin positivity on surgical biopsy, suggesting rhabdomyosarcoma. CONCLUSION: Accurate classification of small round cell tumors by FNAB is more likely to occur when both electron microscopy and immunocytochemistry are employed since these tumours may express divergent differentiation.