Prostate Cytology

Prostate cells

Transitional urothelial cells

Seminal vesicle cells

Spermatozoa

Corpora amylacea

Estrogen effect

Acute / subacute prostatitis

Chronic prostatitis

Atypical prostatic cells

Prostate cells

 

Adequate, thin clear acidophilic cytoplasm c small lipid vacuoles; little nuclear pleomorphism, c round nuclei c fine chromatin and sometimes a small central nucleolus; can be arranged in honeycombs or picket fence patterns

 

Transitional urothelial cells

 

Seen in the first few drops of secretion; look like benign polyhedral intermediate squames from the vag c central nucleus c finely dispersed chromatin

- can use these cells for hormonal eval

 

Seminal vesicle cells

 

Seen in 10% of prostatic specimens; 1/2 are shed singly, the other half in sheets and they are irregular in size

- have either dense and basophilic or abundant and vesicular cytoplasm with yellow-brown granular pigment and multiple small vacuoles; smooth, well-defined cytoplasmic membrane and prominent nucleoli

 

Sperms

 

Single or in clusters

 

Corpora amylacea

 

round to oval with well-defined margins

 

Estrogen effect

 

With inc E see diffuse squamous metaplasia; cells are large and polyhedral c acidophilic cytoplasm and pyknotic, irregular central nuclei or small signet rings

- may decrease the cellularity of the specimen

- with castration the prostate glands atrophy and the clusters of tall columnar cells are replaced with single roud small cells c thick basophilic cytoplasm and small round central hyperchromatic nuclei

 

Acute / Subacute prostatitis

 

Usually secondary to cystitis, urethritis, or epididymitis

- see lots of inflam cells in secretions

 

Chronic prostatitis

 

See more lymphs, macrophages, giant cells old RBCs, necrotic debris, bugs and protein

- reactive prostate cells are single c irregular shaped cytoplasm and multiple inclusions; nuclei

 

Atypical prostatic cells

 

Have variation in size and density of nuclei, less cohesive and more activeappearance

 

Malignant prostatic cells

 

MCC ca is adenoca; seen in M > 40 yo usually involving both central and peripheral locations

- malig cells shed in groups after prostatic massage

 

Micro: multinucleated, prominent nucleoli, nuclear pleomorphism, inc N:C; irregular cell borders; coarse nuclear chromatin; syncytial pattern

References

 

1.  Class notes, the U