Granular cell tumor in inguinal region: A case of mistaken identity on cytology

• Main Authors: Shalinee Rao, S Rajendiran, P Surendran, P M Venkata Sai, D Prathiba
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2012-01-01
• Series: Journal of Cytology
• Subjects: Granular cell tumor; histiocytes; inguinal; lymphocytes
• Online Access: http://www.jcytol.org/article.asp?issn=0970-9371;year=2012;volume=29;issue=1;spage=60;epage=62;aulast=Rao

A 63-year-old male presented with sudden increase in size of a right inguinal swelling which was present for the past 10 years. Clinical diagnosis of inguinal soft tissue mass/lymph node enlargement was made and patient was investigated further for a conclusive diagnosis. Ultrasound examination suggested it to be a lymph node and guided fine needle aspiration cytology was performed. Cytology was suggestive of a reactive lymph node. Subsequently, an excision biopsy was performed that revealed a granular cell tumor with many lymphoid aggregates. On reviewing the cytosmears, we realised that the granular neoplastic cells were mistaken for histiocytes; and the lymphoid background and bare nuclei mislead us to consider it a reactive lymph node. Since granular cell tumor can occur almost anywhere, a careful examination of cytosmears and knowledge of its distinctive cyto-morphological features would be helpful in providing an accurate diagnosis on cytology.