Morphology and pathogenesis of Liesegang rings in cyst aspirates: Report of two cases with ancillary studies

Liesegang rings are laminated ring‐like structures occasionally found in benign cysts and abscesses. They have been confused with parasites (especially eggs), algae, calcifications, and psammoma bodies. We examined Liesegang rings from fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies of a benign cyst of the br...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Diagnostic cytopathology 1998-08, Vol.19 (2), p.116-119
Main Authors: Raso, Dominic S., Greene, William B., Finley, James L., Silverman, Jan F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
breast cyst
Cyst Fluid - chemistry
Female
Fibrocystic Breast Disease - pathology
Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics
Humans
Kidney Diseases, Cystic - pathology
Liesegang phenomenon
Liesegang rings
Mammary gland diseases
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
precipitation phenomenon
renal cyst
Tumors
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Liesegang rings are laminated ring‐like structures occasionally found in benign cysts and abscesses. They have been confused with parasites (especially eggs), algae, calcifications, and psammoma bodies. We examined Liesegang rings from fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies of a benign cyst of the breast and a complex renal cyst. Liesegang rings were best observed with Papanicolaou, hematoxylin‐eosin, Masson's trichrome, acid‐fast (AFB), and Gram stains, which accentuate the concentrically laminated morphology. An amorphous electron‐dense core and fibrillary lucent concentric rings were seen with transmission electron microscopy with no significant energy peaks by electron probe microanalysis or distinct diffraction patterns by X‐ray diffraction. This investigation indicates that Liesegang rings are composed of organic substances most likely formed by periodic precipitation from a supersaturated solution within cystic fluid. Awareness of the Liesegang phenomenon within cystic lesions will decrease the possibility of erroneous misdiagnosis as another type of pathologic process. Diagn. Cytopathol. 1998;19:116–119. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ISSN:8755-1039
1097-0339
DOI:10.1002/(SICI)1097-0339(199808)19:2<116::AID-DC10>3.0.CO;2-I