Necrotic Debris In Thyroid Aspirates: A Feature of Follicular Carcinoma of the Thyroid

Fine needle aspirates from 44 follicular thyroid tumours (30 adenomas, 14 carcinomas) have been studied. All aspirates contained neoplastic cells in follicular and trabecular arrangements. The individual tumour cells showed varying degrees of anisonucleosis and nuclear pleomorphism. Colloid was scanty or absent from all smears. Granular or filamentous necrotic material was observed in both biopsies and smears from one moderately and two poorly differentiated follicular carcinomas, but in none of the adenomas. This suggests that necrotic debris may be a feature of follicular carcinoma of the thyroid.