Specimen adequacy and diagnostic specificity of ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirations of nonpalpable thyroid nodules.

Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (USG-FNA) is a safe, effective, and dependable test used to assess thyroid nodules. However, the size of the lesion can adversely affect the outcome of the procedure. The aim of this study was to assess specimen adequacy and diagnostic specificity in USG-FNA of thyroid nodules measuring < or = 1.

Hairy cell leukemia variant developing in a background of polycythemia vera.

We report a case of hairy cell leukemia variant developing in a background of polycythemia vera in a 77-year-old man who presented with lymphocytosis and splenomegaly. Classic hairy cell leukemia in a patient with polycythemia vera has been reported previously, but hairy cell leukemia variant arising in a patient with polycythemia vera has never been described to the best of our knowledge. Initial testing of the peripheral blood showed circulating medium to large leukemic cells with large, centrally placed nuclei, each containing a prominent nucleolus, and some cells showed cytoplasmic projections.