Share
Study

Cytology of Pleural, Pericardial and Peritoneal Cavity Effusions

EFFUSIONS - METASTATIC GASTROINTESTINAL MALIGNANCY

Reminder: You may click on any slide image for an enlarged view.

Image 2
Figure 93
Peritoneal effusion: Gastric adenocarcinoma. Cells with malignant features are present as a distinct population. Some may exhibit nuclear displacement by a large secretory vacuole, a "signet ring" cell. Origin from one part of the GI tract over another cannot be easily ascertained. 60x
Figure 93
 Peritoneal effusion: Gastric adenocarcinoma. Cells with malignant features are present as a distinct population. Some may exhibit nuclear displacement by a large secretory vacuole, a "signet ring" cell. Origin from one part of the GI tract over another cannot be easily ascertained. 60x
Image 3
Figure 94
Peritoneal effusion: Cell block, gastric adenocarcinoma. The cell block contains cells with similar malignant features as those seen in the ThinPrep slide of the effusion. 40x
Figure 94
 Peritoneal effusion: Cell block, gastric adenocarcinoma. The cell block contains cells with similar malignant features as those seen in the ThinPrep slide of the effusion. 40x
Image 3
Figure 95
Peritoneal effusion: Poorly differentiated gastric carcinoma. Malignant cells stand out easily from the benign cells in the background. 20x
Figure 95
 Peritoneal effusion: Poorly differentiated gastric carcinoma. Malignant cells stand out easily from the benign cells in the background. 20x
Image 2
Figure 96
Peritoneal effusion: Poorly differentiated gastric carcinoma. The enlarged, eccentric nuclei exhibit irregular nuclear membranes and prominent nucleoli. 60x
Figure 96
 Peritoneal effusion: Poorly differentiated gastric carcinoma. The enlarged, eccentric nuclei exhibit irregular nuclear membranes and prominent nucleoli. 60x
Image 3
Figure 97
Peritoneal effusion: Gastric carcinoma. Malignant peritoneal effusion in a case of metastatic gastric carcinoma. A loose cluster of malignant cells with pleomorphic nuclei and multiple mitotic figures. 60x
Figure 97
 Peritoneal effusion: Gastric carcinoma. Malignant peritoneal effusion in a case of metastatic gastric carcinoma. A loose cluster of malignant cells with pleomorphic nuclei and multiple mitotic figures. 60x
Image 3
Figure 98
Pleural effusion: Gastric carcinoma. 40x
Figure 98
 Pleural effusion: Gastric carcinoma. 40x
Image 3
Figure 99
Pleural effusion: Gastric carcinoma. 60x
Figure 99
 Pleural effusion: Gastric carcinoma. 60x
Fig 98-99: Pleural effusion: Gastric carcinoma.
Malignant glandular cells arranged in a dense, rounded cluster. Note that the surface cells maintain cell polarity with apical cytoplasm. The nuclei are irregular with prominent nucleoli.

Image 3
Figure 100
Abdominal wash: Colon adenocarcinoma. 20x
Figure 100
 Abdominal wash: Colon adenocarcinoma. 20x
Image 2
Figure 101
Abdominal wash: Colon adenocarcinoma. 40x
Figure 101
 Abdominal wash: Colon adenocarcinoma. 40x
Image 3
Figure 102
Abdominal wash: Colon adenocarcinoma. 60x
Figure 102
 Abdominal wash: Colon adenocarcinoma. 60x
Fig 101-102: Abdominal wash: Colon adenocarcinoma.
Abdominal washings showing malignant glandular cells. This case is from a patient with colon carcinoma. The papillary clusters of cells show obvious features of an adenocarcinoma, but no distinct clues as to the origin of the tumor.

Image 2
Figure 103
Peritoneal effusion: Hepatocellular carcinoma. 20x
Figure 103
 Peritoneal effusion: Hepatocellular carcinoma. 20x
Image 3
Figure 104
Peritoneal effusion: Hepatocellular carcinoma. 60x
Figure 104
 Peritoneal effusion: Hepatocellular carcinoma. 60x
Image 3
Figure 105
Peritoneal effusion: Hepatocellular carcinoma. 60x
Figure 105
 Peritoneal effusion: Hepatocellular carcinoma. 60x
Fig 103-105: Peritoneal effusion:Hepatocellular carcinoma.
Hepatoma may shed malignant cells into the peritoneal effusion. The cells exhibit granular cytoplasm and centrally placed, abnormal nuclei. Distinction from adenocarcinoma may be difficult.
Image 2
Figure 106
Peritoneal effusion: Cholangiocarcinoma. 20x
Figure 106
 Peritoneal effusion: Cholangiocarcinoma. 20x
Image 3
Figure 107
Peritoneal effusion: Cholangiocarcinoma. 40x
Figure 107
 Peritoneal effusion: Cholangiocarcinoma. 40x
Image 3
Figure 108
Peritoneal effusion: Cholangiocarcinoma. 60x
Figure 108
 Peritoneal effusion: Cholangiocarcinoma. 60x
Fig 106-108: Peritoneal effusion: Cholangiocarcinoma.
Cholangiocarcinoma, either from an intra-hepatic source or from an extra-hepatic biliary tree, may look like adenocarcinoma from elsewhere in the GI tract. By exclusion of other sources through endoscopy, ultrasonography and/orCT imaging, the location may be determined.
Image 2
Figure 109
Peritoneal wash: Suspicious for pancreatic carcinoma. 60x
Figure 109
 Peritoneal wash: Suspicious for pancreatic carcinoma. 60x
Image 3
Figure 110
Peritoneal wash: Suspicious for pancreatic carcinoma. 60x
Figure 110
 Peritoneal wash: Suspicious for pancreatic carcinoma. 60x
Image 3
Figure 111
Peritoneal effusion: Pancreatic carcinoma. 20x
Figure 111
 Peritoneal effusion: Pancreatic carcinoma. 20x
Image 2
Figure 112
Peritoneal effusion: Pancreatic carcinoma. 40x
Figure 112
 Peritoneal effusion: Pancreatic carcinoma. 40x
Image 3
Figure 113
Peritoneal effusion: Pancreatic carcinoma. 60x
Figure 113
 Peritoneal effusion: Pancreatic carcinoma. 60x
Fig 111-113: Peritoneal effusion: Pancreatic carcinoma.
Pancreatobiliary tumors cause obstruction and elicit a hard fibrous host response. Rarely they may liberate cells into the peritoneal cavity, most likely after omental invasion.

Back to Top

Return to the Table of Contents