Intrarenal neuroblastoma diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration: A report of two cases

Neuroblastoma is an infrequent tumor of childhood usually located at any site containing sympathetic neural tissue—retroperitoneum and adrenal gland being the most common locations, followed by thoracopulmonary region, mediastinum, head and neck, and pelvis. Two primary renal neuroblastomas were diagnosed in a 6‐yr‐old boy and a 7‐mo‐old boy by computed tomography (CT)‐guided fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) cytology. The smears contained numerous individually scattered small and round cells, with scanty cytoplasm, related to a fibrillary matrix. Scattered larger cells with slightly more cytoplasm were seen among the smaller ones. No tubular or glomeruloid differentiation was noted. Considering the age and cytomorphology, a diagnosis of intrarenal neuroblastoma was made in both cases. An intrarenal mass in a child may occasionally be a neuroblastoma. Our cases demonstrate the usefulness of CT‐guided FNA in diagnosing intrarenal masses in children. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2002;27:294–297. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.