Diagnosis of an unusual abdominal presentation of granuloma inguinale by fine needle aspiration cytology

A 63-year-old Hispanic man from Peru who recently had immigrated to the United States presented with progressive weakness, weight loss, recurrent abdominal pain and passing bright red blood per rectum. Rectal carcinoma was suspected. Biopsies of two lesions in the sigmoid colon showed granuloma inguinale (donovanosis). A computed tomographic scan of the abdomen revealed a large presacral mass. A radiographically guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the presacral mass showed findings characteristic of granuloma inguinale. FNA thus proved to be a useful adjuvant in the diagnosis of an unusual case of granuloma inguinale (donovanosis) presenting with a presacral mass that had the radiologic characteristics of a malignant tumor.     

Choroid plexus carcinoma. Cytologic identification of malignant cells in ascitic fluid

Abdominal deposits of a choroid plexus carcinoma in a patient with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt were cytologically diagnosed by examination of ascitic fluid after regression of the primary tumor. The morphology of the malignant cells in ascitic fluid was more similar to that of mesothelial cells than to the appearance of cells from this lesion in cerebrospinal fluid.     

Cytologic characteristics of intracytoplasmic refractile eosinophilic granular bodies in anaplastic oligodendroglioma: a case report

BACKGROUND: Oligodendrogliomas, which have a relatively better prognosis than tumors of the astrocytic lineage, have few morphologic clues for diagnosis. CASE: To address this problem, eosinophilic refractile inclusions were examined cytologically in the tumor of a 59-year-old man, using surgical materials for rapid diagnosis. Cytologic, histologic, and immunohistochemical findings were compatible with the refractile eosinophilic inclusions found in oligodendroglial tumors. The tumor cells presented a sheet-like epithelial pattern, forming no overlapping cell clusters, with an ill-defined cytoplasmic membrane, and nuclei that appeared to be naked, approximately 2 times the size of a red blood cell (approximately 7 microm) in diameter. It was easier to examine the cells and inclusions by cytologic preparations than by histology. CONCLUSION: The inclusions were thought to be a diagnostic clue for oligodendrogliomas, especially on cytology, and cytology was more useful than histology.     

Cytologic, ultrastructural and immunologic features of intracytoplasmic hyaline bodies in fine needle aspirates of hepatocellular carcinoma

Intracytoplasmic hyaline bodies in malignant cells from an aspirate of a liver mass are suggestive of hepatocellular carcinoma. Such inclusions were studied by light and electron microscopy and by immunocytochemistry in fine needle aspirates from five cases of hepatocellular carcinoma. Seen by light microscopy, the inclusions were round or ovoid and were surrounded by a prominent halo. By both light and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry, the hyaline bodies showed negative staining for alpha-fetoprotein, alpha-1-antitrypsin and cytokeratin. Ultrastructurally, they were not membrane bound and were composed of filamentous, finely granular material, resembling the early stages of Mallory bodies.     

Detection and identification of potentially toxic cyanobacteria in Polish water bodies

The main goal of this study was to determine the distribution of potentially toxic cyanobacteria in 39 selected Polish water bodies. From the water bodies with blooms and also from those in which blooms were not visible 87 samples were investigated. For the first time samples from ponds localized in villages with high agricultural activities were included. Lakes for which microcystin concentrations had been determined before were included as a reference for the research. The detection of cyanobacteria was conducted by microscopic observation as well as by PCR amplification of the rpoC1 gene fragment. Cyanobacteria were present in 75 out of 87 samples. The presence of potentially toxic cyanobacteria was detected by amplification of the mcyB and mcyE genes, which are involved in the biosynthesis of microcystins. Both genes were detected in 7 out of 9 blooms investigated. In the case of samples collected from water bodies in which blooms were not observed, the mcyB and mcyE genes were detected in 20 out of 36. In order to identify the cyanobacteria occurring in selected reservoirs, 16S plus ITS clone libraries were constructed. The method allowed distinguishing 18 different genotypes. After sequence analysis, cyanobacteria belonging to genera Microcystis, Planktothrix, Anabaena, Pseudanabaena, Synechocystis, Synechococcus and Woronichinia were identified. Results confirmed the usefulness of the rpoC1 and mcy genes for monitoring water bodies and detection of potentially toxic cyanobacteria. Application of molecular markers allowed detecting potentially toxic cyanobacteria before the bloom was visible. This is the first comprehensive study concerning cyanobacteria present in different types of Polish water bodies performed using molecular markers.     

Electron microscopic identification of sex chromatin bodies of tissue culture cells

Summary A method is described for the unequivocal identification of sex chromatin bodies in electron micrographs of thin sections of tissue culture cells derived from human skin. Fibers, rodlets, and circular profiles having a similar diameter of about 200 Å appear to be the only components of the sex chromatin bodies. The fibers and rodlets are sometimes resolvable into two similar subunits and the circular profiles often have a less electron dense center. The overall density of sex chromatin bodies is found to be considerably less than that of metaphase chromosomes. The fibers of the sex chromatin bodies found lying away from the nuclear periphery appear to be organized more compactly than the fibers of the sex chromatin bodies found lying at the nuclear periphery.This paper is based on investigations supported by a research grant No. GM-04738 from the National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, to Dr. H. Ris, Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin.     

Cytologic findings in endometrial hyperplasia

The cytologic findings in 15 endometrial hyperplasias were compared with those of normal endometrium and well-differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma. Differences in tumor diathesis, hypercellularity, uneven internuclear distance, severe piling up of nuclei, anisokaryosis, nuclear size and macronucleoli were the main cytologic findings that were noted among the three conditions. These features varied in the different types of endometrial hyperplasia. It is not clear that these cytologic findings can be used to cytologically diagnose endometrial hyperplasia because some of the findings involve subjective judgments by different cytologists. Further studies on larger series of cases will be necessary to establish the cytologic criteria for the correct interpretation of endometrial abnormalities.     

Automation in Staining of Cytologic Specimens

With continuous automatic staining procedures, it is now possible to stain hundreds of cytologic specimens per hour with a minimum of effort, and with reproducible optimum results. Two automatic and continuous polychrome staining procedures for cervical-vaginal specimens, and two automatic and continuous hematoxylin-eosin staining procedures for abrasion biopsies are presented. The continuous and automatic procedures reduce the number of solutions and the number of procedural steps needed for cytologic staining. They are simpler, less time-consuming, less costly and give fewer chances for error. They assure reproducible staining results even with less experienced technicians. They permit the technician to be occupied with other activities while the greater part of the staining is being done. They require only the part-time use of the Autotechnicon. They permit variation in staining intensity and color differentiation to suit individual preferences. Their use may be of critical importance in the development of effective electronic screening.     

Cytologic findings in posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease

Transplant patients are at an increased risk of developing lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs). To examine the role of cytology in diagnosing LPDs, the cytologic reports on all transplant patients seen at the University of Iowa from January 1983 to July 1988 were reviewed. Thirteen of 649 transplant patients developed LPD; 10 of those 13 patients had a total of 25 cytologic specimens obtained within two months of the diagnosis of LPD available for review. Ten specimens (four cerebrospinal fluids [CSFs], four effusions, one respiratory specimen and one liver aspirate) from six patients were positive for LPD. Immunophenotypic or immunogenotypic studies on cytologic specimens from four patients showed a clonal B-cell process. The cytologic features ranged from those of a plasmacytoid LPD to those of an immunoblastic or large-cell lymphoma. An additional seven specimens (five CSFs, one effusion and one liver aspirate) from four patients were suspicious for LPD, exhibiting rare atypical cells or cells with plasmacytoid features. Ten patients died with LPD within 12 months; three are alive. Cytologic specimens, especially body fluids, are frequently positive in LPD and may be useful diagnostically. Since the differential diagnosis includes reactive lymphocytosis, confirmatory immunophenotypic or immunogenotypic studies are recommended.     

Cytologic findings in multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma

The cytologic findings in a case of multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma are presented. A 70-year-old man had a slowly enlarging and intermittently painful abdominal mass that was multicystic and avascular on radiologic evaluation. Percutaneous drainage of the mass was performed over a four-year period for symptomatic relief. Large sheets of benign mesothelial cells were consistently present in the cytologic preparations of each of the drainage specimens. The mass has remained localized to the abdomen, and the patient is alive and well seven years after the onset of symptoms. The radiologic features and the clinical course of the patient were most suggestive of a rare benign multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma; the cytologic findings supported this diagnosis. A review of the pertinent literature is presented.