Star in the Forehead

Asteroid bodies are rare cytoplasmic inclusions within multinucleated giant cells, most classically associated with sarcoidosis but also encountered in other granulomatous and reactive conditions. Their recognition in cytology is uncommon and diagnostically challenging. We present the case of a 30-year-old female with a post-traumatic forehead swelling in which fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) revealed numerous foreign body-type giant cells containing asteroid bodies. This case highlights the cytomorphological spectrum of asteroid bodies outside systemic sarcoidosis, their differential diagnoses, and their clinical relevance.