QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BENIGN AND MALIGNANT MESOTHELIAL CELLS IN PLEURAL FLUID

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 26  (4) , 401-406
Abstract
Quantitative and qualitative [human] cellular parameters were investigated in 20 cases of reactive mesothelial proliferations and 40 cases of primary pleural mesotheliomas. The 2 groups showed statistically significant differences in the nuclear areas, cytoplasmic areas and standard deviations. In the mesotheliomas, the mean nuclear area and the mean cytoplasmic area were larger than in the reactive proliferations. Nine cases could not be properly classified with these quantitative parameters alone. Qualitative analysis revealed highly characteristic features in the mesotheliomas. Morula formation and irregular and coarse reticular chromatin patterns were strongly indicative of mesothelioma. The location and shape of the nucleus and the type and amount of cytoplasmic vacuolization gave additional information for distinguishing between the 2 groups.