Bile duct brushings cytology – improving sensitivity of diagnosis using the ThinPrep® technique: a review of 113 cases

OBJECTIVE: Common bile duct (CBD) brushings have been recognized as a technique of moderate sensitivity and high specificity in identifying carcinoma of the ampulla and pancreatico-biliary regions. This study evaluated the increase in sensitivity of this technique using the ThinPrep technique of specimen preparation when compared with conventional cytology smears. METHODS: A total of 113 bile duct brushings were included in the study (38 conventional smears and 75 slides prepared using the ThinPrep technique). All slides were reviewed by one cytologist. Five categories of reporting were used: inadequate, negative, atypia, suspicious and malignant. RESULTS: The inadequate category of reporting disappeared in the ThinPrep group with improved specimen fixation and preparation and hence reduced artefact. Sensitivity of diagnosis of malignancy increased from 39% in conventional smears to 53% in the ThinPrep group. Specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy were 100%, 100%, 60% and 68% for conventional smears and were 100%, 100%, 60% and 72%, respectively, for ThinPrep specimens. CONCLUSIONS: ThinPrep technique was associated with increased sensitivity of diagnosis, in part due to improved specimen fixation and reduced artefact. Cytology of bile duct brushings is an important diagnostic tool for sites from which it can be difficult to obtain a histology biopsy. It may therefore provide the only opportunity for tissue diagnosis of carcinoma from these sites, hence the importance of optimizing sensitivity.     

Drug-induced bile duct injury

Drug-induced liver injury includes a spectrum of pathologies, some related to the mode of injury, some to the cell type primarily damaged. Among these, drug-induced bile duct injury is characterized by the destruction of the biliary epithelium following exposure to a drug. Most of the drugs associated with bile duct injury cause immune-mediated lesions to the epithelium of interlobular ducts. These share common histopathological features with primary biliary cholangitis, such as inflammation and necrosis at the expense of cholangiocytes and, if the insult persists, bile duct loss and biliary cirrhosis. Some drugs selectively target larger ducts. Such injury is often dose-dependent and thought to be the result of intrinsic drug toxicity. The histological changes resemble those seen in primary sclerosing cholangitis. This overview focuses on the clinical and pathological features of bile duct injury associated with drug treatment and on the immunological and biochemical effects that drugs exert on the biliary epithelium. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Cholangiocytes in Health and Disease edited by Jesus Banales, Marco Marzioni, Nicholas LaRusso and Peter Jansen.     

Some medical applications of the oxford scanning proton microprobe

Results from several medical investigations carried out using the Oxford scanning proton microprobe are presented, including maps of the hepatic copper-distribution in primary biliary cirrhosis and maps of the iron distribution in primary hemochromatosis. Preliminary studies of human nervous tissue reveal that morphologically recognizable structures can be differentiated using precision elemental mapping, and this may lead to a powerful new way of distinguishing subtle perturbations of structure and function. In further prelimianry studies, localized aluminum structures have been observed in Alzheimer’s disease tissue at bulk levels of less than parts per million.     

Similar effects ofβ-alanine and taurine in cholesterol metabolism

β-Alanine, though producing a deficiency of taurine in the tissues, had a similar effect on cholesterol metabolism as taurine. Both caused increased activity of hepatic hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and increased incorporation of 1, 2 of [¹⁴C]-acetate into liver cholesterol. Both caused increased concentration of biliary cholesterol and bile acids. There was increased activity of lipoprotein lipase in heart, but decreased activity in the adipose tissue in both cases. Release of lipoproteins into circulation was decreased in both cases.     

胆总管结石并胆道感染患者胆汁中致病菌的分布及耐药性分析

目的:了解胆总管结石并胆道感染患者胆汁中致病菌的分布以及耐药性的情况,为临床中胆总管结石并胆道感染患者的诊治提供参考。方法:选取2012年1月至2012年12月期间被我院收治的胆总管结石并胆道感染患者内镜逆行胰胆管造影术(ERCP)抽取胆汁标本150例,对其进行细菌培养和药敏试验,观察和分析细菌分布情况和耐药性情况。结果:1细菌培养阳性的例数为123例(阳性检出率82.0%),其中,革兰氏阴性菌39例(31.71%),主要为大肠埃希菌23例(18.70%);革兰氏阳性菌64例(52.03%),主要是粪肠球菌22例(17.89%)和甲型溶血性链球菌10例(8.13%);真菌(白假丝酵母菌)20例(16.26%)。2患者胆汁中的细菌主要敏感的药物有美罗培南、亚胺培南、万古霉素、庆大霉素、头孢吡肟和阿米卡星等。结论:胆总管结石并胆道感染患者胆汁中病原菌分布出现了新的变化,临床中应根据患者胆汁药敏试验结果选择有效的治疗方法和抗菌药物。     

Progenitor cells of the biliary epithelial cell lineage

Stem-like cells have been identified in liver that are able to differentiate in vivo and in culture to biliary epithelial cells (BEC), hepatocytes and oval cells. The growth factors/cytokines and signal pathways required for the differentiation processes are beginning to be evaluated. There is increasing evidence to suggest that these stem-like cells may originate from both the bone marrow population or from a precursor remnant from liver embryogenesis, as they share many of the same markers (CD34, c-kit, CD45). Most recently, it has been shown that a population of progenitor cells can copurify with mesenchymal bone marrow cells and differentiate under specific culture conditions to form both hepatic epithelial and also endothelial cells. The interaction of haemopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells needs further evaluation. The close association of ductular reactive cells and neovessels in end-stage cholestatic liver diseases and the relation to Jagged/Notch signalling pathway may be important in the regulation of stem cells to form both biliary epithelial and endothelial cells.     

New insights to the immunopathology and autoimmune responses in primary biliary cirrhosis

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is an autoimmune liver disease with profound changes in different compartments of the immune system, including those involved in innate, and adaptive immunity. New data from epidemiological studies of PBC have reinforced the thesis that the cause for this relatively uncommon disease is likely to be a combination of both environmental factors and a susceptible genetic predisposition. Recent findings of abnormalities of the innate immune system in PBC suggest that they may serve as links between the environmental factors and the early events in PBC development. Viral and bacterial infections as well as xenobiotics are some of the potential environmental factors that have been implicated in this complex process. Identification of the etiological factors for PBC will point to new preventive or therapeutic treatments.     

Autophagy in intra-hepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Intra-hepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC) is a primary cancer of the liver that shares histological features with the hepatic bile ducts from which it is thought to arise. The incidence of this disease is increasing, possibly related to increased inflammatory liver diseases such as viral hepatitis and steatohepatitis (commonly called “fatty liver”), induced by obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic derangements. Its prognosis is generally poor with early metastasis and presently there are limited effective treatments. A basic understanding of the disease has long been hampered by limited tumor cell lines and good model systems. Similarly, such limitations have obstructed new therapeutic inroads.     

B cells promote hepatic inflammation, biliary cyst formation, and salivary gland inflammation in the NOD.c3c4 model of autoimmune cholangitis

There are now several murine models of autoimmune cholangitis that have features both similar and distinct from human PBC. One such model, the NOD.c3c4 mouse, manifests portal cell infiltrates, anti-mitochondrial antibodies but also biliary cysts. The biliary cysts are not a component of PBC and not found in the other murine models. To address the immunopathology in these mice, we generated genetically B cell deficient Igμ^−/− NOD.c3c4 mice and compared the immunopathology of these animals to control B cell sufficient NOD.c3c4 mice. B cell deficient mice demonstrated decreased number of non-B cells in the liver accompanied by reduced numbers of activated natural killer cells. The degree of granuloma formation and bile duct damage were comparable to NOD.c3c4 mice. In contrast, liver inflammation, biliary cyst formation and salivary gland inflammation was significantly attenuated in these B cell deficient mice. In conclusion, B cells play a critical role in promoting liver inflammation and also contribute to cyst formation as well as salivary gland pathology in autoimmune NOD.c3c4 mice, illustrating a critical role of B cells in modulating specific organ pathology and, in particular, in exacerbating both the biliary disease and the sialadenitis.     

胆道镜结合微爆破碎石治疗复杂性胆道结石

目的：探讨微爆破碎石用于治疗复杂胆道结石的治疗体会。方法：在胆道镜直视下,分别在术中和术后对158例复杂的胆道结石患者进行微爆破碎石,然后用取石网取出碎石,泥沙状结石随液体流出或让其自行流入肠道。结果：158例患者156例取石成功。取石成功率98.73%。明显提高了胆道取石的成功率。无1例出现胆道穿孔、瘘道穿孔及胆道出血等严重并发症。结论：在胆道镜下,采用微爆破碎石术治疗复杂的胆道结石是一种安全、可靠、高效的方法,可以明显提高结石的取净率。