BENIGN SOLITARY NEURILEMONA (SCHWANNOMA) - A CORRELATIVE CYTOLOGICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL STUDY OF 28 CASES

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  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 92  (2) , 91-101
Abstract
A correlative histological and cytological study of 28 cases of solitary neurilemoma is presented. The typical histological mixture of Antoni type A and B tissue correlated well with the cytological findings. In the smears, the Antoni type A tissue was represented by tissue fragments with a fibrillar ground substance and slender, spindle-shaped cells forming obvious Verocay bodies in 24 cases; the Antoni type B tissue was depicted by loose, microcystic fragments with single, elongated nuclei sometimes looking like fish-hooks and with indistinct, slender, cytoplasmic processes. The ancient neurilemomas, a variant of the ordinary neurilemomas, in this series were characterized both histologically and cytologically by nuclear hyperchromasia and polymorphism; this is important to prevent erroneous diagnosis of sarcoma or probable sarcoma. The differential methods of diagnosis are discussed, especially by fine-needle aspiration biopsy when Verocay bodies and/or a fibrillar ground substance are present in the smears. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy is an important aid to preoperative diagnosis of neurilemoma, and thus to planning of the operative treatment.