The use of fine needle aspiration cytology for the distinction of pancreatic mucinous neoplasia.

Cytology frequently has some role in preoperatively distinguishing pancreatic mucus-producing neoplasia (intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms [IPMNs] and mucinous cystic neoplasms [MCNs]) from other pancreatic cysts. We evaluated all cytologic specimens at our institutions from resected pancreatic cystic lesions for lesional extracellular and cellular material. Lesional extracellular material was identified in 32 of 38 of the cytologic samples from cystic pancreatic mucus-producing neoplasms (28 of 31 IPMNs and 4 of 7 MCNs).