Cytologic analyses of spindle-cell lesions of the thorax and retroperitoneum

Thoracic and retroperitoneal spindle-cell lesions represent a diagnostic challenge in the evaluation of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) specimens. The challenge is due to the morphologic similarities and wide variety of different entities with spindle-cell morphology in these two sites. The purpose of this study was to identify criteria helpful in the classification and differential diagnosis of spindle-cell lesions in these two locations. A set of cytologic features was analyzed in 57 thoracic or retroperitoneal spindle-cell lesions. Our results show that pleomorphism and abundant single cells were parameters associated with high-grade tumors in univariate and multivariate analysis, while coarse chromatin pattern was significant only in a univariate analysis. The combination of absence of pleomorphism, rare single cells, tight cluster arrangement, fine chromatin pattern, and absence of macronucleoli was seen only in benign cases. Assessment of background material was helpful in the differential diagnosis and classification. Necrosis was only found in high-grade cases. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2002;27:343–349. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.