Chondrosarcoma diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology.

OBJECTIVE

To define and discuss the cytologic findings in 6 conventional chondrosarcomas (CS), 1 chondroblastic osteosarcoma, 1 extraskeletal myxoid CS and 20 chondroma cases.

STUDY DESIGN

Study of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of cases air dried and May-Grünwald-Giemsa stained.

RESULTS

Tumor cells were embedded in a pink, amorphous, chondroid matrix in conventional CS. They were larger than chondroma cells and had vacuoles and small, pink, chondroid substance-like granules. Chondroblastic osteosarcoma was diagnosed as high grade CS by FNAC, but extremely pleomorphic chondrocytes, osteoid matrix, osteoblastic cells, and clinical and radiologic findings should have produced the proper diagnosis. Extraskeletal myxoid CS had a pinkish, granular, myxoid background. The tumor cells had granulated, dark blue cytoplasm and oval-round, lobulated, slightly indented, hyperchromatic nuclei.

CONCLUSION

FNAC is efficient for the diagnosis of CS and its variants as long as it is evaluated with radiologic and clinical findings by a pathologist familiar with bone pathology and cytology.