Papillary

Papillae in the papillary variant of lung adenocarcinoma. H&E stain. (WC/Nephron)

Well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma. H&E stain. (WC/Nephron)

Papillary renal cell carcinoma. H&E stain. (WC/Nephron)

In pathology, papillary refers to a nipple-like projection with a fibrovascular core.

Papillary pattern redirect here.

General

• Common histomorphologic pattern that is seen in a large number of contexts.

Microscopy

Histologic definition - papilla:

• Nipple-shaped structure containing a fibrovascular core.
  • Fibrovascular core = fibrous tissue + least one blood vessel.

Note:

• May be associated with psammoma bodies.

DDx:

• Micropapilla - nipple-shaped structure without blood vessels.
• Pseudopapilla - cells distant from the blood vessels undergo necrosis imparting a papillary-like appearance, e.g. solid pseudopapillary tumour.

Some entities with the word papillary

Breast pathology

• Invasive papillary carcinoma of the breast.
• Intracystic papillary carcinoma of the breast.

Cardiovascular pathology

• Papillary fibroelastoma.

Dermatopathology

• Papillary hidradenoma.
• Papillary eccrine adenoma.

Endocrine pathology

• Papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Gastrointestinal pathology

• Solid and papillary epithelial neoplasm - actually pseudopapillary; also known as solid pseudopapillary tumour.
• Intraductal papillary mucinous tumour.
• Biliary intraductal papillary neoplasm.

Genitourinary pathology

• Papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential.
• Low-grade papillary urothelial carcinoma.
• High-grade papillary urothelial carcinoma.
• Papillary adenoma.
• Papillary renal cell carcinoma.
• Clear cell papillary renal cell carcinoma.

Gynecologic pathology

• Uterine papillary serous carcinoma
• Papillary adenofibroma of the uterine cervix.

Head and neck pathology

• Papillary cystadeoma lymphomatosum (Warthin tumour).

Neuropathology

• Papillary craniopharyngioma.

Other

• Well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma.

See also

• Morphologic patterns.