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Biomedical subjects

C J Stewart

Publications and source records attributed to C J Stewart.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Fine needle aspiration cytology diagnosis of malignant lymphoma and reactive lymphoid hyperplasia.

AIMS: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of lymph node fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology to distinguish reactive lymphoid hyperplasia from malignant lymphoma, and to evaluate the contribution of ancillary techniques applied to cytological material. METHODS: Two hundred and seventy seven consecutive lymph node FNA specimens reported to be consistent with reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (n = 213) or suggestive/diagnostic of malignant lymphoma (n = 64) were reviewed. Follow up data were obtained by case record review or by histological correlation. The value of immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridisation for immunoglobulin light chain mRNA, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) towards the final clinicopathological diagnosis was assessed in 92, 61, and 45 cases, respectively. RESULTS: Sixty one of 67 lymphomas and 207 of 209 reactive lymph nodes were accurately diagnosed by FNA cytology. There were six false negative aspirates including three cases of follicular lymphoma, two cases of Hodgkin's disease, and one chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Two FNA specimens considered suspicious of lymphoma proved reactive on histology or clinical follow up. One metastatic small cell carcinoma was wrongly diagnosed as lymphoma. Ancillary studies contributed to the correct diagnosis in most cases although occasional misleading results were obtained, particularly with PCR. CONCLUSIONS: FNA cytology accurately distinguished reactive lymphoid hyperplasia from malignant lymphoma in 97% of cases. However, occasional wrong diagnoses occurred owing to sampling error or misinterpretation. Ancillary studies can be applied to cytological samples and contribute to the diagnosis in most cases.

Adult↗

Diagnostic value of inhibin immunoreactivity in ovarian gonadal stromal tumours and their histological mimics.

AIMS: Inhibin is a heterodimeric protein hormone which appears to be a sensitive serological and immunohistochemical marker of ovarian granulosa cell tumours. The purposes of this study were to examine inhibin immunoreactivity in a wide range of gonadal stromal neoplasms and to assess its value in the differential diagnosis of problematic ovarian tumours. METHODS AND RESULTS: Inhibin immunostaining was identified in eight cases of stromal hyperthecosis, 24 adult-type granulosa cell tumours, two juvenile granulosa cell tumours, nine Sertoli cell or Sertoli-Leydig cell tumours, one gynandroblastoma, three gonadoblastomas, two cases of sex cord tumour with annular tubules, two steroid cell tumours and two sclerosing stromal tumours. Inhibin was also present in 4/6 fibrothecomas and 2/3 unclassified gonadal stromal tumours. There was no staining of neoplastic cells in any of the problematic ovarian tumours, in many of which a diagnosis of gonadal stromal tumour had been initially considered. However, inhibin was detected in reactive stromal cells in many cases. CONCLUSIONS: Inhibin is a sensitive immunohistochemical marker of a wide range of gonadal stromal tumours and is of value in the differential diagnosis of ovarian neoplasia.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

Analysis of clonality in cytologic material using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene rearrangement analysis was performed on 27 fine needle aspiration (FNA) specimens (13 reactive hyperplasia, 11 B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL), one Hodgkin's disease and two suspicious of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma). Satisfactory amplification was achieved in 23/27 cases. A polyclonal pattern was seen in 14 cases (11 reactive hyperplasia, one B-NHL, one suspicious of lymphoma, one Hodgkin's disease). A monoclonal band was seen in nine cases (eight B-NHL, one reactive hyperplasia). Amplification was unsuccessful in four cases. Clonal analysis by PCR-based IgH gene rearrangement analysis can be successfully applied to FNA material and can be useful in diagnosis, but the results must be interpreted in conjunction with morphology and other ancillary information.

Biopsy, Needle↗

Immediate assessment of fine needle aspiration cytology of lung.

AIMS: To assess the value of immediate assessment of cytology in percutaneous fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology of lung. METHODS: FNA specimens from 75 consecutive patients with suspected pulmonary neoplasms were subjected to immediate cytology assessment. Direct smears were prepared in the radiology department and stained using the Diff Quik method. The cellular content was assessed and, if possible, a provisional diagnosis offered. A second FNA was requested if the initial aspirate seemed of doubtful adequacy. The diagnostic accuracy was examined by review of clinical and radiological data in all patients, and by correlation with other histological or cytological material in 25 patients. Complications of the procedure were identified during the clinical review. RESULTS: Two of 75 specimens were inadequate for diagnosis. Satisfactory diagnostic material was obtained in 51 patients on a single aspirate and following a second FNA in 22 patients. Of the 73 satisfactory aspirates, 58 were malignant, one highly suspicious of malignancy and 14 reported as negative for malignancy. All malignant diagnoses were confirmed on clinical or pathological review. FNA accurately distinguished primary small cell and large cell carcinomas in those patients with pathological follow up. There were two false negative reports, one due to sampling error and the other due to misinterpretation of aspirate material. The diagnostic specificity was 100% and sensitivity 96.6%. Complications were recorded in seven (9.3%) patients, five of whom developed pneumothorax; a chest drain was required in one patient. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous FNA cytology provides safe and accurate diagnosis in the investigation of pulmonary lesions. Immediate cytology assessment ensures that aspirate material is handled optimally, and those patients requiring further sampling or ancillary investigation identified rapidly. The number of unsatisfactory and false negative lung FNA are therefore reduced. The complication rate is minimised by decreasing the number of pleural punctures.

Adult↗

Immunoglobulin light chain mRNA detected by in situ hybridisation in diagnostic fine needle aspiration cytology specimens.

AIMS: To demonstrate expression of immunoglobulin light chain mRNA in diagnostic fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology specimens using an in situ hybridisation (ISH) technique; and to evaluate ISH in a series of reactive lymphoid proliferations and malignant lymphomas. METHODS: Forty diagnostic FNA specimens showing a lymphoid cell population were examined for immunoglobulin light chain mRNA expression using ISH. Aspirates were obtained from lymph node (n = 34), salivary gland (n = 3), subcutaneous tissue, thyroid and breast (n = 1 each). The cases included 20 B cell lymphomas, five cases of Hodgkin's disease and 15 reactive lymphoid proliferations. Comparison with light chain immunoreactivity was made in 36 cases and histological correlation from biopsy material was available in 24. RESULTS: Immunoglobulin light chain restriction was demonstrated in 14 of 20 B cell lymphomas using ISH and in six of 17 B cell lymphomas using immunocytochemistry. A polytypic pattern of light chain expression was observed in four of five cases of Hodgkin's disease with both techniques, and in 12 of 15 and 11 of 14 reactive lymphoid proliferations using ISH and immunocytochemistry, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The assessment of immunoglobulin light chain expression is a useful adjunct to morphology in the diagnosis of reactive and malignant lymphoid proliferations in FNA specimens. Light chain restriction can be shown using either immunocytochemistry or ISH, but the latter is more sensitive in the diagnosis of B cell lymphoma.

Biomarkers↗

Discharge planning from home health care and patient status post-discharge.

An exploratory study of 57 elderly patients discharged from home health agencies sought to identify how they and their caregivers were prepared for discharge and how they were managing. Data were collected from the home care records and post-discharge interviews with patients and caregivers. Results indicate little evidence of formal discharge planning. However, home care records appear to underreport what home care staff do. On follow-up, over half of the patients had improvement in their health, two-thirds were independent in activities of daily living, and few patients had need of formal services.

Aged↗

The usefulness of human placental lactogen and keratin immunohistochemistry in the assessment of tissue from purported intrauterine pregnancies.

This study compared conventional light microscopy with immunohistochemistry in the histopathologic diagnosis of intrauterine pregnancy in curettings in which fetal parts and chorionic villi were absent. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections of the curettings, which were from 50 consecutive patients in whom incomplete abortion had been diagnosed clinically, were circulated to four pathologists who graded their diagnoses with a confidence score. Immunohistochemical examination using a standard streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase method with anti-HPL and antikeratin antisera was performed. The pathologists in the maternity hospitals achieved a high level of diagnostic confidence compared with those working in the general hospitals. However, there were erroneous diagnoses by the one pathologist in the former group and none by the latter. Critical path analysis showed that the best performing pathologist could accurately diagnose all but two of the cases that had been diagnosed with a degree of doubt by the other pathologists without recourse to immunohistochemical examination. These results suggest that immunohistochemistry may be used discriminately in uncertain cases or if relatively inexperienced pathologists are reporting.

Abortion, Incomplete↗

Endocervicosis of the urinary bladder.

A further case of endocervicosis of the urinary bladder is described. It is important that gynaecologists and pathologists be aware of this entity and its possible relationship to previous Caesarean section to avoid confusion with a neoplastic process.

Adult↗

Pancreatic islet cell tumour in a patient with familial adenomatous polyposis.

A case of familial adenomatous polyposis is reported in a 39 year old patient who underwent a Whipple's resection for adenoma of the duodenum. He subsequently developed a pancreatic glucagonoma. Endocrine neoplasia other than papillary carcinoma of thyroid has seldom been reported in association with FAP. The true incidence of islet cell tumours in FAP may be underestimated.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗

Mesonephric adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix with focal endocrine cell differentiation.

A case of cervical adenocarcinoma arising in diffuse mesonephric hyperplasia is presented. The hyperplastic and neoplastic tubules showed focal endocrine cell differentiation. Endocrine cells stained with the Grimelius technique, and were immunoreactive for chromogranin and serotonin. Antisera to additional specific hormones were negative. The natural history of this rare tumor is uncertain; the patient presented in this report is free of disease at 10-year follow-up.

Adult↗

Borderline nuclear abnormality in cervical smears: a cytological review of 200 cases with histological correlation.

The cervical cytology and histology specimens from 200 patients referred to colposcopy with borderline nuclear abnormality were reviewed. Human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated changes were identified in 103 of 200 (53%) referral smears and in 139 of 150 (91%) biopsy specimens. Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) was less frequently diagnosed on review compared with the original histopathology reports (30.7% vs 45.4%); the discrepancy was largely attributable to a lower incidence of CINI. There was agreement in the grading of borderline nuclear abnormality in 161 of 200 referral smears following review. Twenty-three smears were upgraded to mild dyskaryosis, whereas 16 were reclassified as negative.

Cervix Uteri↗

Reliable responses to a cardiovascular reactivity protocol: a replication study in a biracial female sample.

This replication study was designed to examine the reliability of individual differences in cardiovascular responsivity to a standardized PC-based cognitive task protocol (Kamarck et al., 1992) in a female community sample. Thirty women, both black and white (ages 25-44 years), were administered the protocol twice with a 1-month retest interval using a mobile laboratory at a community-based testing site. Measures of heart rate and blood pressure reactivity were obtained comparing assessments taken at rest and during three protocol tasks. Preejection period, stroke volume, and total peripheral resistance changes were estimated using impedance cardiography assessments. As in previous studies with males, individual differences in heart rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressure responses to the protocol were highly reliable (.80 or greater) when data were aggregated across three tasks and two testing sessions. Reliability of cardiac contractility (preejection period) and stroke volume changes to these tasks exceeded .70. This reactivity assessment procedure has now produced reliable results in three studies and appears to be exportable across diverse samples and settings.

Adult↗