Low power: DQ stain
Fragments of benign ductal epithelial cells (stag-horn-like)
Stromal fragments (metachromatic) and naked oval nuclei
Low power: Pap stain
Staghorn or antler-like fragments of benign ductal epithelial cells
Note papillary-like architecture but absence of fibrovascular cores
High power: Pap stain
Benign ductal epithelial cells with uniform round to oval nuclei
Even chromatin, smooth nuclear membranes and occasional myoepithelial cells (sesame seeds)
May have intranuclear cytoplasmic inclusions or nuclear grooves.
High power: Pap stain
Fragments of benign ductal epithelial cells
Numerous naked oval nuclei are present
Low power: Pap stain
Fragments of stromal tissue showing fibromyxoid material with spindle cells
Features
• Cellular smears
• Abundant ductal epithelial cell fragments
• Cohesive sheets, staghorn-like fragments
• Triad:
– epithelial cell fragments (staghorn-like)
– stromal fragments, metachromatic
– naked nuclei
• No fibrovascular cores seen
• Indistinct cell borders
• Delicate cytoplasm
• Uniform round to oval nuclei
• Visible to prominent nucleoli
• Even chromatin
• May have intranuclear cytoplasmic inclusions and nuclear grooves
• Numerous naked oval nuclei: small dark bipolar nuclei of stripped myoepithelial cells and slightly larger stromal nuclei
Benoit JL et al. Diagn Cytopathol. 1992;8(6):643-7; discussion 647-8.
Bottels K et al. Am J Clin Pathol. 1988 Jun;89(6):707-13.