Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine

Soonwon Hong

4 Articles

Galectin-3 Expression and BRAF Mutation in Cases of Cytologically Suspicious Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.: Dokyung Kim, Hyunki Kim, Jinyoung Kwak, Minju Kim, Hyung Jae Jung, Ja Seung Koo, Beom Jin Lim, Chankwon Jung, SoonWon Hong; Korean J Pathol. 2010;44(2):191-198.; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4132/KoreanJPathol.2010.44.2.191

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Abstract PDF: BACKGROUND
Fine needle aspiration, which is known as the most accurate and cost-effective method for diagnosis of thyroid nodule, still may result in indeterminate cases that are pauci-cellular and show minor nuclear atypia, but most cases are associated with suspicion of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). A B-type Raf kinase (BRAF) mutation was found in about half of PTCs and galectin-3 was expressed by malignant tumors, helping us to differentiate malignancies from benign lesions.
METHODS
Cases studied included histologically 44 confirmed PTC cases and 18 benign cases previously diagnosed as suspicious of PTC using cytologic examination. Cases were analyzed for galectin-3 expression by immunohistochemical staining and BRAF mutation by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) with a new restriction enzyme.
RESULTS
All 44 cases of PTC and 8 of 18 benign controls expressed galectin-3. BRAF mutations were found in only 9 of the 44 PTC cases. Assessment of galectin-3 expression demonstrated high sensitivity but low specificity. Evaluation of BRAF mutation revealed high specificity and low sensitivity.
CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that the combined application of these two methods for PTC of suspicious cytology is complementary.

Cytologic Features of Diffuse Sclerosing Variant of Papillary Carcinoma: Cytohistopathologic Analysis of 16 Cases.: Ja Seung Koo, Woohee Jung, Soonwon Hong, Hyunee Yim; Korean J Pathol. 2009;43(6):557-561.; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4132/KoreanJPathol.2009.43.6.557

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Abstract PDF: BACKGROUND
The exact preoperative diagnosis of diffuse sclerosing papillary carcinoma (DSPC) is required for aggressive surgical treatment due to its extended involvement with thyroid and neck lymph nodes. The present study investigated the cytomorphologic characteristics of DSPC and identified cytologic features for preoperative diagnosis of DSPC. METHODS: A retrospective review of cytologic and histologic features of 16 patients diagnosed with DSPC after thyroidectomy and underwent preoperative fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was performed.
RESULTS
Prominent psammoma bodies were observed in 16 (100%) and 10 (62.5%) cases of histology and FNAC, respectively. Lymphocytes were observed in nine (56.2%) and four (25.0%) cases, and squamous cells were noted in seven cases (43.7%) and one case (6.2%) on histology and FNAC, respectively. Nuclear grooves and inclusions, which are characteristics of papillary carcinoma, were observed in FNAC and histology slides in all 16 cases. CONCLUSIONS: DSPC displays prominent psammoma bodies and characteristic nuclear features of papillary carcinoma such as nuclear groove and inclusion in FNAC. However, the preoperative diagnosis of DSPC using only FNAC could be difficult due to the absence of other characteristic features such as lymphocytes and metaplastic squamous cells.

Correlation and Accuracy Between Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology of Thyroid Lesions and Histopathologic Diagnosis: Analysis of 322 Histopathologically Confirmed Cases.: Jaseung Koo, Woo Hee Jung, Seokwoo Yang, SoonWon Hong; Korean J Cytopathol. 2008;19(2):144-151.; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3338/kjc.2008.19.2.144

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Abstract PDF

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology is the decisive test in the preoperative diagnostics of thyroid nodules. Here we share our institutional experience about thyroid aspiration and give suggestions for suspicious cytology results. Three hundred twenty-two cases in 270 patients (mean age 47.4 years, 243 women and 27 men) who underwent thyroidectomy were reviewed. Among the 322 cases, the FNA diagnosis of "positive for malignancy" was 87 cases (27.0%), "suggestive of malignancy" 30 cases (9.3%), "suspicious for malignancy" 61 cases (18.9%), "negative for malignancy" 102 cases (31.7%), and "unsatisfactory smear" 42 cases (13.0%). Eighty seven cases (100%) out of "positive for malignancy", 29 cases (96.7%) out of "suggestive of malignancy", and 39 cases (64.0%) out of "suspicious for malignancy" were papillary carcinoma (148 cases, 95.5%), or follicular carcinoma (2 cases, 1.3%), or metastatic carcinoma (1 case, 0.6%). Seventeen patients who had only negative or unsatisfactory cytology underwent thyroidectomy and nine cases (52.9%) were papillary carcinoma. We suggest that: the cytology diagnosis of "suggestive of malignancy" could be regarded as "positive for malignancy", the cytology diagnosis of "suspicious of malignancy" should be carefully correlated with clinico-radiologic manifestation, and even a negative or unsatisfactory smear should be carefully followed up.

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Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology of Thyroid Follicular Neoplasm: Cytohistologic Correlation and Accuracy
Changyoung Yoo, Hyun Joo Choi, Soyoung Im, Ji Han Jung, Kiouk Min, Chang Suk Kang, Young-Jin Suh
Korean Journal of Pathology.2013; 47(1): 61. CrossRef

Macrofollicular Variant of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma with Extensive Hemorrhage.: Haeryoung Kim, SoonWon Hong, Kwang Gil Lee, Eun Kyung Kim, Cheong Soo Park, Woung Youn Chung, Woo Ick Yang; Korean J Cytopathol. 2004;15(1):60-64.

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Abstract PDF: BACKGROUND
The macrofollicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (MVPC) is characterized by macrofollicles occupying more than half of the tumor and demonstrating nuclear features of classic papillary carcinoma. It is difficult to recognize on fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology due to the paucity of aspirated neoplastic cell clusters, especially when the tumor is associated with extensive areas of hemorrhage.
CASE
A 34-year-old female presented with a well-demarcated nodule in the thyroid gland, diagnosed as a benign nodule on ultrasonography and computed tomography. FNA cytology smear revealed a few small aggregates of follicular cells with morphological features suspicious for papillary carcinoma, set in a background of hemorrhage, inflammatory cells, and hemosiderin-laden macrophages. Intraoperative frozen section revealed macrofollicular nests filled with hemorrhage and composed of follicular cells demonstrating nuclear clearing and grooves.
CONCLUSION
MVPC is a rare but distinctive variant of papillary carcinoma, which is easily mistaken for adenomatous goiter or benign macrofollicular neoplasm on radiologic findings. The cytopathologist should alert oneself on encountering benign radiologic findings and any smear composed of scant numbers of follicular cells with nuclear features suspicious for papillary carcinoma despite the bland-looking background of hemorrhage and hemosiderin-laden macrophages, and recommend intraoperative frozen sections for a definite diagnosis.

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