Nuclear area measurements of parathyroid adenoma, parathyroid hyperplasia and thyroid follicular adenoma. A comparison.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether nuclear area (NA) measurement could help to differentiate parathyroid adenoma, parathyroid hyperplasia and thyroid follicular adenoma in aspirated smears. STUDY DESIGN: Aspirated smears of 15 patients with parathyroid adenoma, 11 patients with parathyroid hyperplasia and 11 patients with thyroid follicular adenoma were included. NA of 100 cells in each case were measured by image analysis; then the mean and coefficient of variation were calculated. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in the mean of NA between parathyroid adenoma and parathyroid hyperplasia, but the former displayed greater NA variation. Thyroid follicular adenoma revealed a significant elevation in the mean of NA when compared with parathyroid lesions and also shared the feature of greater NA variation when compared with parathyroid hyperplasia, as noted in parathyroid adenoma. CONCLUSION: Quantitative assessments on NA and calculation of their coefficient of variation are helpful in differentiating between parathyroid adenoma, parathyroid hyperplasia and thyroid follicular adenoma.