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Analysis of institutional authors

Jiménez-Heffernan JaCorresponding AuthorLópez-Ferrer PAuthor

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A comprehensive review of the tigroid background cytological concept: what, when, where and why?

Publicated to:Pathologica. 114 (2): 121-127 - 2022-04-01 114(2), DOI: 10.32074/1591-951X-287

Authors: Jiménez-Heffernan JA; Rodríguez-García AM; Cima L; Gordillo CH; López-Ferrer P; Vicandi B

Affiliations

Santa Chiara Hosp, Dept Clin Serv, Pathol Unit, Trento, Italy - Author
Univ Hosp La Paz, Dept Pathol, Madrid, Spain - Author
Univ Hosp La Princesa, Dept Pathol, Madrid, Spain - Author

Abstract

The concept of tigroid background is used in cytology to describe a peculiar smear background characterized by the presence of a relatively granular, reticulated material that was described as foamy, lazy, tiger-striped or astrakhan. It was used to describe the background seen in smears obtained from seminoma. In addition to seminoma, we now know that it can be present in different tumours, mostly carcinomas and round cell sarcomas. These share with seminoma a cytoplasm with high glycogen content and many times clear cell morphology. The tigroid background is seen when smears are air-dried and Romanowsky-based stains are used (May-Grunwald-Giemsa and Diff-Quik stains). It is only seen in fine needle aspiration or intraoperative squashing or scrapping samples, but not in specimens obtained from effusions or liquid-based cytology. Wet-fixed cytologic samples with alcohol or with formaldehyde tend to dissolve the background so it is not usually present in Papanicolaou stained smears. In this review, we discuss tumours in which the tigroid background is observed and its potential diagnostic utility and aetiology. It is interesting to remark that except for parathyroid adenoma and adenomatoid tumour all the neoplasms in which this background has been observed are malignant.

Keywords

"tigroid" backgroundcarcinomaclear-cell adenocarcinomacytologyfine needle aspirationseminomaspermatocytic seminomatumorsCytologyFine needle aspirationNeedle-aspiration-cytologySeminoma“tigroid” background

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Pathologica due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency Scopus (SJR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2022, it was in position , thus managing to position itself as a Q2 (Segundo Cuartil), in the category Pathology and Forensic Medicine.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations from Scopus Elsevier, it yields a value for the Field-Weighted Citation Impact from the Scopus agency: 1.79, which indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 14, 2024)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Field Citation Ratio (FCR) from Dimensions: 2.56 (source consulted: Dimensions Jun 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-06-28, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 2
  • Scopus: 5

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-06-28:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 4.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 4 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 12.7.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 21 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
  • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: https://repositorio.uam.es/handle/10486/713708

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: Italy.

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (JIMENEZ HEFFERNAN, JOSE ANTONIO) .

the author responsible for correspondence tasks has been JIMENEZ HEFFERNAN, JOSE ANTONIO.