Papillary thyroid cancer biopsy

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ammu Susheela, M.D. [2]

Overview

On biopsy, papillary thyroid cancer is characterized by trabecular, solid, follicular tumor cells that invade tumor capsule or surrounding vascular structures.

Key Biopsy Findings in Follicular Thyroid Cancer

Characteristic Orphan Annie eye nuclear inclusions (nuclei with uniform staining, which appear empty)^[1] and psammoma bodies on light microscopy. The former is useful in identifying the follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinomas.^[2]
Histologically papillary carcinoma demonstrates ‘delicate stalks of epithelial cells’ which account for its name.

Reference

↑ “Papillary Carcinoma of Thyroid (Hi Pow)”. University of Connecticut Health Center. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
↑ Yang GC, Liebeskind D, Messina AV (2001). “Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of the thyroid assessed by Ultrafast Papanicolaou stain: data from 1135 biopsies with a two- to six-year follow-up”. Thyroid. 11 (6): 581–89. doi:10.1089/105072501750302895. PMID 11442006.

[1] “Papillary Carcinoma of Thyroid (Hi Pow)”. University of Connecticut Health Center. Retrieved 2008-09-14.

[pmid11442006-2] Yang GC, Liebeskind D, Messina AV (2001). “Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of the thyroid assessed by Ultrafast Papanicolaou stain: data from 1135 biopsies with a two- to six-year follow-up”. Thyroid. 11 (6): 581–89. doi:10.1089/105072501750302895. PMID 11442006.

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