Cytology of lung epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the lung

Background: The utility of bronchial brushing cytology forthe diagnosis of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the lung has not been confirmed until now. Case: A 43-year-old man was admitted for a detailed examination and treatment of a lung tumor, although he had no specific complaints. A computed tomography examination revealed a discrete solitary tumor in segment 6 of the left lung. A bronchial brushing smear showed scattered tumor cells or small, epithelioid clusters of tumor cells, in which the cells were plump or round in shape and exhibited abundant, light-green-stained cytoplasm and atypical nuclei, some of which contained clear, sharply demarcated cytoplasmic vacuoles. The cytological features (histochemical, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural) of tissues obtained during surgical exploration weresimilar to those obtained by the brushing cytology. Conclusion: Brushing cytology may be a useful means of diagnosing epithelioid hemangioendothelioma based on the characteristiccytological features of this tumor.