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A 45-year-old man presents to a clinician because of a "bulge in his neck." Physical examination demonstrates an enlargement of the patient's thyroid gland. Needle aspiration of the thyroid demonstrates cell clusters that are suspicious for papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. Which of the following findings would most strongly support this diagnosis?
Options:
A. Anitschkow cells
B. Auer rods
C. Psammoma bodies
D. Reed-Sternberg cells
E. Roth's spots
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C is the correct answer.
Features of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid on aspiration include papillary clusters, "Orphan Annie" nuclei, and psammoma bodies. Psammoma bodies are laminated, concentric, calcific spherules seen most frequently in papillary adenocarcinoma of the thyroid, serous papillary cystadenocarcinoma of the ovary, meningioma, and malignant mesothelioma.
Anitschkow cells (choice A) are activated histiocytes found in rheumatic heart disease.
Auer rods (choice B) are cytoplasmic inclusions found in promyelocytic leukemia cells.
Reed-Sternberg cells (choice D) are typically binucleate (or contain bilobed nuclei) with prominent "owl's eyes" nucleoli cells found in Hodgkin's disease.
Roth's spots (choice E) are pale retinal spots surrounded by hemorrhage seen in endocarditis
