Fine-needle aspiration biopsy diagnosis of pediatric neoplasms

ABSTRACT

A series of fine-needle aspiration biopsies performed in 635 children were reviewed. The diagnosis rendered in these patients included malignant lymphoma in 139 [21.9%], Hodgkin's disease, 25 [3.9%]; neuroblastoma, 58 [9.1%]; Wilms' tumor, 37 [5.8%]; Ewing's sarcoma, 32 [5.0%]; rhabdomyosarcoma; 25 [3.9%]; retinoblastoma, 22 [3.5%]; leukemia infiltrate, 33 [5.2%]; and miscellaneous tumors, 52 [8.2%]. In 171 patients [26.9%], the biopsy was nondiagnostic. The cytomorphological characteristics of these lesions are briefly described and illustrated. Salient morphological features are further correlated with histological and ultrastructural appearances