Colloid Gallery - A Gallery of Colloid

Colloid is commonly present on ThinPrep® prepared slides of thyroid fine-needle aspirates. Abundant colloid is a feature of benign follicular thyroid lesions, while scant colloid raises suspicion for malignancy. Ultimately, however, nuclear features and architecture are the criteria used to diagnose malignant lesions. Diagnostic Cytopathology, Volume 30, Number 1, January 2004, pages 7-13, contains a helpful article by Mark A. Tulecke and Helen H. Wang, entitled „ThinPrep® for Cytologic Evaluation of Follicular Thyroid Lesions: Correlation With Histologic Findings“. The varying appearances of colloid are pictured and described in the article.

To further assist in the identification of colloid, a gallery illustrating different morphologic appearances of colloid has been created for use as a reference guide. Additional photographs may be added as cases are collected.

The following pictures are from benign thyroid lesions:

Additional References

  1. Afify AM, Liu J, Al-Khafaji BM: Cytologic artifacts and pitfalls of thyroid fine-needle aspiration using ThinPrep. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathology) 2001;93(3):179-86.
  2. Biscotti CV, Shorie JH, Gramlich TL, Easley KA: ThinPrep vs. conventional smear cytologic preparations in the analysis of thyroid fine-needle aspirations specimens. Am J Clin Pathol 995; 104(2):150-3.
  3. Cheung CC, Carydis B, Ezzet S, Bedard YC, AsaSL: Analysis of ret/PTC gene rearrangement refines the fine needle aspiration diagnosis of thyroid cancer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2001; 86(5):2187-90.
  4. Frost AR, Sidawy MK, Ferfelli M et al: Utility of thin-layer preparations in thyroid fine-needle aspiration: Diagnostic accuracy, cytomorphology, and optimal sample preparation. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 998; 84:17-25.
  5. Scurry JP, Duggan MA: Thin layer compared to direct smear in thyroid fine needle aspiration. Cytopathology 2000; 11:104-115.
  6. Zhang Y, Fraser JL, Wang HH: Morphologic predictors of papillary carcinoma on fine-needle aspiration of thyroid with ThinPrep preparations. Diagn Cytopathol 2001; 24(6):378-83.

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