1987 Volume 26 Issue 3 Pages 460-464
We had an operative patient with a biliary cystadenocarcinoma of the liver originating from the left lobe of the liver.
The patient was a 56 years old woman with a multilocular cystic lesion of the liver. Preoperative aspiration cytology was performed. The aspirate showed mucinous fluid and a benign papillary cluster.
Left lateral segmentectomy of the liver and resection of the remaining fibrous wall of the cyst were performed.
The cut-surface of the resected liver showed different histological conditions, such as solid papillary areas, cysts with low papillary growths, and cysts without papillary projections. We diagnosed the condition as biliary cystadenocarcinoma of the liver, based on the atypism and the infiltration of the tumor cells.
Touch cytology showed a strong union of tumor cells, apical secretory granules in many cells, and several goblettype cells. But the most characteristic finding was the variable grading of atypism at different touch points. This was the same as the histological finding. Because of these local variations preoperative aspiration should be done at several different points.
Electromicrography showed microvilli, apical secretory granules, and intracystoplasmic microcysts.
We conclude from the histological indications that this tumor originated from the epithelium of the bile duct.
