Cytsic lesions around joints are commonly encountered in clinical practice. Olecranon bursitis is one such
common condition where the bursal cavity, superficial to the olecranon, becomes inflamed with or without
superadded infection depending on the aetiology.Along with X ray and ultrasound, fine needle aspiration cytology
is a commonly asked procedure for this entity which also provides pain relief by reducing pressure on the bursa.
The thorough history taking supplemented by correlation of various findings in all these investigations can help
add rational to decision-making processes aiding targeted treatment and better patient care. We present a case of
olecranon bursitis to highlight the importance of history taking and to make the reporting cytologist aware of the
minor variations that can be seen on the aspirate smears.
Keywords: Olecranon bursitis; FNAC; Cytology