Fine needle aspiration of spindle cell lipoma—Lochkern cells as a clue for diagnosis: A case arising in the parotid gland

Abstract

Spindle cell lipoma (SCL) is a rare form of lipoma, typically occurring as a mass in the back, shoulder or posterior neck of adult males. Most cases present little diagnostic difficulty on fine needle aspiration (FNA), but can be problematic when the SCL is in an unusual location. The authors report a case in the parotid gland in a 75‐year‐old man. FNA was paucicellular and showed loose collections of spindle cells with mild to moderate atypia, admixed with ropy collagen fibers on a myxoid background. The nuclei showed occasional angulation, interpreted on FNA as suspicious for myoepithelial tumor or low‐grade sarcoma. The subsequent excisional specimen was diagnosed as SCL. On retrospective review of the FNA, an additional finding was recognized: ‘naked’ nuclei with intranuclear lipid vacuoles and positive immunostaining for S100 protein, consistent with Lochkern cells of mature adipocytes. This case highlights the challenges of diagnosing SCL on cytology when no fat‐containing cells are apparent on the smear, and stresses the significance of Lochkern cells as a clue for diagnosis.