Psammoma body
Encyclopedia
Calcium
Calcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft gray alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth-most-abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust...
, seen microscopically. The term is derived from the Greek word psammos meaning "sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
."
Etiology
Psammoma bodies are associated with the papillary (nipple-like) histoHistology
Histology is the study of the microscopic anatomy of cells and tissues of plants and animals. It is performed by examining cells and tissues commonly by sectioning and staining; followed by examination under a light microscope or electron microscope...
morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
and are thought to arise from (1) the infarction
Infarction
In medicine, infarction refers to tissue death that is caused by a local lack of oxygen due to obstruction of the tissue's blood supply. The resulting lesion is referred to as an infarct.-Causes:...
and calcification
Calcification
Calcification is the process in which calcium salts build up in soft tissue, causing it to harden. Calcifications may be classified on whether there is mineral balance or not, and the location of the calcification.-Causes:...
of papillae tips and (2) calcification of intralymphatic tumor thrombi.
Association with malignant lesions
Psammoma bodies are commonly seen in certain tumors such- Papillary thyroid carcinoma
- Papillary renal cell carcinomaRenal cell carcinomaRenal cell carcinoma is a kidney cancer that originates in the lining of the proximal convoluted tubule, the very small tubes in the kidney that filter the blood and remove waste products. RCC is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults, responsible for approximately 80% of cases...
- Ovarian papillary serous cystadenocarcinomaPapillary serous cystadenocarcinomaPapillary serous cystadenocarcinomas are the most common form of malignant ovarian cancer making up 26 percent of ovarian tumours in women aged over 20 in the United States....
- endometrial adenocarcinomasEndometrial cancerEndometrial cancer refers to several types of malignancies that arise from the endometrium, or lining, of the uterus. Endometrial cancers are the most common gynecologic cancers in the United States, with over 35,000 women diagnosed each year. The incidence is on a slow rise secondary to the...
(Papillary serous carcinoma ~3%-4%) - meningiomaMeningiomaThe word meningioma was first used by Harvey Cushing in 1922 to describe a tumor originating from the meninges, the membranous layers surrounding the CNS ....
- PeritonealPeritoneal mesotheliomaPeritoneal mesothelioma is the name given to the cancer that attacks the lining of the abdomen. This type of cancer affects the lining that protects the contents of the abdomen and which also provides a lubricating fluid to enable the organs to move and work properly.The peritoneum is made of two...
and Pleural Mesothelioma - somatostatinomaSomatostatinomaSomatostatinoma is a tumor of the delta cells of the endocrine pancreas that produces somatostatin.It is associated with diabetes mellitus and abnormal glucose tolerance.Triad of : Mild Diabetes mellitus, Steatorrhoea, Gall stones...
(pancreas) - ProlactinomaProlactinomaA prolactinoma is a benign tumor of the pituitary gland that produces a hormone called prolactin. It is the most common type of pituitary tumor...
of the pituitary
Benign lesions
Psammoma bodies may be seen in:- EndosalpingiosisEndosalpingiosisIn gynecology, endosalpingiosis is a benign condition in which uterine tube-like epithelium is found outside of the uterine tube.Endosalpingiosis is associated with the formation of psammoma bodies, which may lead to the misdiagnosis of malignancy, e.g...
- Psammomatous melanotic schwannoma
