Atypical hemangioma of the breast: a diagnostic pitfall in breast fine-needle aspiration

We report on the fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology of atypical hemangioma of the breast in a 52-yr-old female. The patient presented with a 2-cm palpable left breast mass. An FNA of the mass was performed following a mammogram, corresponding to the palpable breast mass. The FNA demonstrated the presence of numerous atypical single spindle cells scattered throughout a hemorrhagic background. An unequivocal diagnosis of malignancy was not rendered in this case. However, the degree of cytologic atypia suggested a malignant process, and a recommendation for an excisional biopsy was made. Atypical hemangioma should therefore be included in the differential diagnosis of angiosarcoma and other benign and malignant spindle-cell lesions of the breast encountered on cytologic samples.

Determination of carotid plaque risk by ultrasonic tissue characterization

This in vitro study investigated the ability of ultrasonic tissue characterization (UTC) to discriminate between plaques from asymptomatic and symptomatic patients and to compare UTC findings with quantitative measurements of plaque morphology. A total of 34 plaque specimens removed at carotid endarterectomy were scanned transversely at intervals of 1 mm, and compared to tissue cross-sections examined by optical microscopy employing computer-assisted planimetry. UTC was performed by spectral analysis of backscattered radiofrequency signals. The slope, intercept and total power parameters of the spectrum were evaluated. Discriminant analysis was used to compare the ability of the UTC spectral parameters and morphological constituents to correctly classify plaques according to their symptom group membership. UTC correctly classified 88.2% of the plaques. Thrombus was present in 93.9% of the plaques, and there was little difference in the morphological constituents of plaques from asymptomatic and symptomatic patients. Morphological constituents correctly classified 60.7% of the plaques. We conclude, in this preliminary study, that UTC can discriminate between carotid plaques from asymptomatic and symptomatic patients with moderate accuracy, despite a similarity in their morphological composition. UTC discrimination is not related to differences in the type or amount of morphological constituents in the plaques.