Cytological diagnostic features of sclerosing hemangioma of the lung

Abstract

Background : We discuss the typical cytologic features of sclerosing hemangioma (SCH) of the lung and propose a cytological SCH subclassification.
Study Design : A comparative analysis was conducted of 5 cases of SCH of the lung studied by curettage or imprint cytology and 10 cases of well differentiated adenocarcinoma of the lung.
Results : The cytological subclassification of the SCHs was : type A, papillary clusters with hyalinized fibrous core ; type B, papillary clusters without hyalinized fibrous core ; type C, sheet-like clusters ; type D, overlapping cell clusters ; type E, scattered tumor cells.
Conclusions : The arrangement of cell clusters and nuclear findings are important diagnostic features of SCH. In addition to the conventional features, the following features can be used to differentiate SCH from well differentiated adenocarcinoma : 1) multiplicity of tumor cells, 2) type A and D cell clusters, 3) hyalinized fibrous core, 4) nuclear and cytoplasmic findings.