Prostate gland & seminal vesicles

General

Anatomy & histology-paraganglion



Last author update: 1 August 2015
Last staff update: 1 December 2023

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PubMed Search: Paraganglion

Andres Matoso, M.D.
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Cite this page: Matoso A. Anatomy & histology-paraganglion. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/prostateparaganglion.html. Accessed March 19th, 2024.
Definition / general
  • Group of neuroendocrine cells derived from neural crest
Epidemiology
  • Usually located in posterolateral soft tissue outside of prostate
  • Seen in radical prostatectomy specimens and rarely in prostate needle biopsies, or in smooth muscle of bladder neck in transurethral resections of prostate or bladder
Microscopic (histologic) description
  • Group of cells with clear, vacuolated or amphophilic cytoplasm with a delicate blood vessel meshwork
  • Nuclei may show prominent nucleoli or degenerative endocrine type atypia
Microscopic (histologic) images

Contributed by Andres Matoso, M.D.
Missing Image

Chromogranin A+

Differential diagnosis
  • The main differential diagnosis is with Gleason pattern 5 prostate cancer
    • The degenerative type atypia in paraganglions is helpful when present; also absence of surrounding prostate glands
    • Immunohistochemistry for prostate markers and cytokeratin is helpful
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