Computed tomography- guided percutaneous core needle biopsy for diagnosis of intathoracic mass lesions: experience at a tertiary care centre of North India

Background: CT guided core needle biopsy is a less invasive method for initial diagnostic workup in the assessment of intrathoracic masses. This study was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic yield of the procedure as well as to demonstrate the spectrum of various disease in our population.Methods: Present study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital for a study period of two years. Patients with intrathoracic mass were included and CT guided biopsies were performed following a protocol. The CT guided biopsies received were examined for histological diagnosis. Immunohistochemistry was carried out where ever routine histopathology was not sufficient for diagnosis. Relevant immunohistochemical panels were applied for lung, mediastinal and pleural tumours according to the histological differential diagnosis. Detailed demographic and clinical profiles along with radiological findings were noted.Results: Total of 138 cases were taken for CT guided FNAC procedure and 123 (89.1%) cases yielded diagnostic biopsy. Lung was the most commonly involved organ followed by mediastinum. Bronchogenic carcinoma was the most common lesion reported in lung and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma was the most common mediastinal lesion. Lung collapse was most common radiological feature.Conclusions: CT guided percutaneous biopsy is a valuable diagnostic technique providing for early accurate diagnosis and being minimally invasive procedure. Care should be taken while tissue processing and section cutting of intrathoracic biopsies as the biopsies are small and tissue loss should be prevented so that sufficient material is available for immunohistochemistry

Cytological spectrum of granulomatous mastitis: diagnostic and treatment challenges

Background: Granulomatous mastitis (GM) is an inflammatory disease of the breast which clinico- radiologically mimics both inflammatory and malignant lesions. This leads to diagnostic dilemmas and delay in treatment. The aim of the present study was to review the cases diagnosed as granulomatous mastitis on Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) with an objective to co-relate their clinico-radiological findings, histology review where available and follow up treatment received to establish etiology and study the treatment outcome.Methods: Cytologically diagnosed cases of granulomatous mastitis were retrieved and reviewed from August 2015 - July 2017 records. Clinico-radiological co-relation, histology review where available and follow up treatment records were sought for.Results: Around 31.7% (530/1670) cases were reported as malignant, 60.3% (1009/1670) as benign proliferative and 7.9% (131/1670) as inflammatory lesions by breast FNA. 3.1% (51/1670) cases were reported as GM of all breast FNAC and 38% (51/131) of all inflammatory lesions. Follow up was available for 47 cases. Of which 26 (55.3%) cases were diagnosed as Tubercular Granulomatous mastitis (TGM) and 21(44.7%) were idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM).Conclusions: Countries where tuberculosis is endemic, high degree of clinical suspicion and detailed work-up to rule out TGM is essential for all cases of granulomatous mastitis. Authors recommend a multidisciplinary workup with microbiological culture and molecular based tests on FNA material. This retrospective study illustrates that the cause of GM needs to be determined accurately for timely treatment, to avoid unnecessary delays and treatment dilemma in these patients

Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of Sarcomatoid carcinoma of head and neck mucosal region: a retrospective analysis

Background: Sarcomatoid carcinoma is a biphasic tumour comprising both of malignant epithelial and mesenchymal elements derived monoclonally from same stem cells. These are unusual variants of squamous cell carcinoma and constitute less than 1% of the head and neck mucosal tumors. Only few studies have been published and needs more understanding to establish treatment guidelines. The aim of this study was to review the cases of carcinosarcoma arising from mucosal sites of head and neck and study their clinical, histological and Immunohistochemical features.Methods: Retrospective data and slides of histologically proven sarcomatoid carcinoma over a period of thirty -four months between January 2016 - October 2018 were retrieved and evaluated for various clinical and histopathological parameters.Results: Total of 22 cases were included in the study and the mean age of presentation was 58years with male: female ration 2:1. Most of the patients (81.8%) presented with a mass lesion of less than 6 months duration. The most common site was oral cavity (68.1%) followed by larynx (22.7%). Clinical stage was known in eleven cases. One case presented with pulmonary metastasis. Histopathologically, epithelial differentiation was identified in nine cases (41%) on morphology and in thirteen cases could be highlighted by cytokeratin positivity. The Mesenchymal component was arranged in sheets (63.7%) and fascicles (31.8%). Marked anaplasia and brisk mitosis wereseen in 54.5% and 19.3% respectively.  On immunohistochemistry all 22 cases were positive for Vimentin, twenty cases were positive for cytokeratin/EMA and aberrant mesenchymal markers were expressed in 10% of cases.  Follow up was available in eighteen cases out of which fourteen cases died within one year of diagnosis.Conclusions: Diagnosis of sarcomatoid carcinoma is challenging especially on small biopsy because of overlapping features with other spindle cell tumors. Understanding the clinicopathological features facilitates their diagnosis and effective clinical management