Cytological Diagnosis of Metastatic Lung Tumors with Special Reference to Transthoracic Needle Biopsy

Abstract

Primary leiomyoma and leiomyosarcoma of the lung are rare, and in the majority of reported cases of leio myoma and leiomyosarcoma of the lung, neither bron choscopic examination nor sputum cytological examina tion was of diagnostic value. The definitive diagnosis was made after exploratory thoracotomy or at necropsy in most cases of leiomyosarcoma of the lung. The lei omyoma and leiomyosarcoma of the lung presented in this report were successfully diagnosed by bronchial brushing cytology and bronchial biopsy under the bro nchoscopic control.Imprint smear of the biopsied material of the leiom yoma showed apparently naked nucleus and was scant of cytoplasm. The nucleus was caterpillar-, spindle-, “B”-, or cigarshaped. Nuclear chromatin was fine and granular, and it was dispersed homogeneously. Small bodies of calcium deposits were seen in the cells.Cytological findings of the bronchial brushing of the leiomyosarcoma cells were pleomorphic.The tumor cells were essentially spindleshaped, but other varie ties were also observed.The nuclear chromatin was fine, and dispersed evenly in the nucleus.These two patients underwent lobectomies and both of them have been uneventful since surgery.Comparative cytological features of these tumors were interesting, and these suggest the usefulness of clinical cytology.