Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Giant cell tumor of tendon sheath (GCTTS), also known as localized nodular tenosynovitis, is a benign neoplasm that occurs principally on the digits. The cytomorphologic features of this lesion on fine needle aspiration (FNA) have not been fully characterized. CASES/METHODS:In case 1, a 23-year-old female presented with a circumscribed soft tissue swelling in the left second toe. In case 2, a 16-year-old female presented with a tender swelling at the base of the right great toe. FNA smears in both instances were highly cellular, with mononuclear cells predominating and interspersed binucleated and multinucleated osteoclastlike giant cells along with hemosiderin-laden macrophages. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:When interpreted along with clinical data, the diagnosis of GCTTS can usually be made with certainty using FNA cytology.

OBJECTIVE:To determine interobserver and intraobserver variability of AgNOR quantitation in neoplastic lesions of the breast. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS:Forty-five cases, 20 benign and 25 malignant lesions, were included in the study. Counts were performed on one slide from each case within a pre-marked area of about 1 cm2 in a standardized manner by two observers blind to the histopathologic diagnosis and independent of each other and repeated after two weeks. Interobserver and intraobserver agreement was assessed using the Bland-Altman method. RESULTS:Our results showed small mean interobserver and intraobserver differences but wide limits of agreement. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Observer variation in AgNOR counts is too high for the method to be of any diagnostic or prognostic relevance.