Diagnostic Usefulness of Aspiration Biopsy Cytology in Bone Tumors and Tumor-like Lesions

Cytologic diagnosis of bone tumors and tumor-like lesions is emphasized as useful for preoperative diagnosis, with the main advantage of being less burdensome to patients, though there are some restrictions for aspiration of a bone lesion. The cytologic distinction between benign and malignant is basically important. Elucidation of cytologic characteristics should lead to a differential diagnosis in consideration of the clinical and radiographic features in a given case. For the diagnosis of a specific histologic subtype, evaluate the cytologic features of the main cells observed and the presence or absence of intercellular matrix (fibrous, myxoid, osteoid or chondroid) intimately associated with the cells. Because osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells are often observed in aspiration of many bone tumors and tumor-like lesions, other differential diagnostic points are emphasized.