Genital verruciform xanthoma: lessons from a contemporary multi‐institutional series

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163435/2/his14198.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163435/1/his14198_am.pd

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Isolated intrathyroidal metastasis revealing an occult lung adenocarcinoma

Thyroid gland is an uncommon site of tumor metastasis inspite of rich vascular supply. Most of the cases are picked up after the diagnosis or during the work up for the primary. Unexpected involvement of thyroid gland as the first presenting sign in a primary lung adenocarcinoma is an extremely rare, however, clinically significant finding, upstaging the disease. Fine needle aspiration cytology as a primary tool for detecting metastasis in thyroid is a rapid procedure, associated with high accuracy and low morbidity

Primary Hodgkin lymphoma of the ileum

Primary classical Hodgkin lymphomas of the gastrointestinal tract are rare lymphoproliferative neoplasms as against other well established mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas. The primary nature of these cases is established based on chest radiograph, computed axial tomography, positron emission tomography, peripheral blood and bone marrow biopsy examination. Here, we report a 79-year-old male patient, who presented to the emergency department with complaints of abdominal discomfort on right side and low grade fever. An ultrasonogram was performed which suggested of an intestinal perforation. An emergency laporotomy was done with resection of the ileal segment. The histomorphology of the resected ileal segment revealed features of classical Hodgkin lymphoma which were confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Epstein Barr virus encoded RNA (EBER) via in-situ hybridization was positive and provided substantial evidence of EBV etiology

Morphological clues to the appropriate recognition of hereditary renal neoplasms

An important emerging role of the surgical pathologist besides the traditional tasks of establishment of the diagnosis and documentation of prognostic and predictive factors, is to recognize the possibility of a hereditary condition in cases where the histology is suggestive for a familial cancer syndrome. In recent years, the knowledge regarding all of the above roles, including the role of recognition of familial cancer, has particularly expanded in renal neoplasms with the close scrutiny to morphology, molecular correlates and clinical features of the different sub-types of renal cell carcinoma. Awareness of these clinically distinctive sub-types and their associated histologic clues will prompt the pathologist for further immunohistochemical or molecular work up, to look for clinical information to support the suspected diagnosis of familial cancer, to alert managing physician/s to look for stigmata of history of familial cancer, which will permit triaging patients and their families for appropriate genetic counseling. This review provides a comprehensive review of the known sub-types of renal cell carcinoma that have a predilection to occur in the setting of hereditary disease; examples include renal cancers occurring in the background of von Hippel Lindau disease, hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell carcinoma syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, Birt Hogg Dube syndrome and succinate dehydrogenase deficiency. Herein we focus on diagnostic clues for renal tumors occurring in a non-pediatric setting that should prompt their correct recognition and reiterate the importance of the correct diagnosis

Unusual metastasis of medullary thyroid carcinoma to the breast: A cytological and histopathological correlation

Breast metastases are a relatively rare condition and account for approximately 0.5–2% of all breast tumors. Recognition of metastatic tumors in the breast is important because it would prevent unnecessary mutilating surgery and would lead to appropriate treatment of the primary tumor. Breast metastases from medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) are very rare with only 21 reported cases in the literature. Some MTCs mimic primary invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast histopathologically and radiologically, making the distinction between the two diagnostically challenging. We present the case of a 45-year-old female presenting with a lump breast, which was later found out to be metastasis from medullary carcinoma thyroid

Evaluation of an automated erythrocyte sedimentation rate analyzer as compared to the Westergren manual method in measurement of erythrocyte sedimentation rate

Context: Monitor 100® (Electa Lab, Italy) is a newly developed automated method for measurement of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Aims: The aim of our study was to compare the ESR values by Monitor 100® against the standard Westergren method. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a Level I trauma care center on 200 patients. The samples taken were as per the recommendations charted out by International Council for Standardization in Hematology (ICSH) for comparing automated and manual Westergrens method. Statistical Analysis Used: Bland and Altman statistical analysis was applied for evaluating Monitor 100® against the conventional Westergren method. Results: The analysis revealed a low degree of agreement between the manual and automated methods especially for higher ESR values, mean difference -11.2 (95% limits of agreement, -46.3 to 23.9) and mean difference -13.4 (95% limits of agreement-58.9 to 32.1) for 1 and 2 hours, respectively. This discrepancy which is of clinical significance was less evident for ESR values in the normal range <25 mm/hour (-7.7 mean of difference; -18.9 to 3.5 limits of agreement). Conclusions: The fully automated system Monitor 100® for ESR measurement tends to underestimate the manual ESR readings. Hence it is recommended that a correction factor be applied for the range of ESR values while using this equipment. Further studies and validation experiments would be required