CT-guided percutaneous biopsies of parapharyngeal space lesions

Fine needle aspiration biopsy [FNA] of superficial and deep-seated lesions of the head and neck has been used extensively with high sensitivity and specificity. Several articles have stressed the role of computed tomography in detecting and staging head and neck tumors. FNA has been paired with imaging guided localization for the cytologic assessment of lesions in the parapharyngeal space. This work presented a series of 30 CT-guided percutaneous biopsies performed between January 1997 and January 2000 at Assiut University Hospital. The age of the patients ranged from 13 to 60 years [mean 37] with 21 males and 9 females. Analysis of the results showed 8 inflammatory lesions, 12 benign tumors and 10 malignant neoplasms. Correlation with histopathology of true-cut needle or incisional biopsy showed a diagnostic accuracy of 88.0% but certain lesions could not be diagnosed by this procedure. FNA can replace incisional biopsy, which may be hazardous in this area. Surgery can be avoided for inflammatory lesions

Assessment of chronic gastritis according to the Sydney System and alcian yellow-toluidine blue [leung] stain for helicobacter species

To assess the reliability of a novel alcian yellow-toluidine blue [Leung] stain for Hp, evaluate relationship of Hp to gastric lesions and to assess and revise Sydney system for classification and grading of gastritis, ninety-seven[eighty-seven gastric and ten duodenal] specimens were collected. Paraffin sections from all specimens were prepared and stained with H and E. The specimens were classified into sixty-three chronic gastritis, one lymphocytic gastritis, three gastric ulcers, twenty gastric carcinoma, six duodenitis, three duodenal ulcers and one case of duodenal cancer. According to Sydney system, 63 specimens of gastritis were classified into 40 non- active and 23 active gastritis, 43 Hp +ve and 20 Hp -ve gastritis. A good correlation was observed between the presence of Hp and the activity of gastritis [68.9%], lymphoid follicle formation [78.6%] and intestinal metaplasia [TM] [66.7%]. The organisms were demonstrated more on antral mucosa but in nine cases were more on body mucosa and were also demonstrated on the two included cardiac mucosal biopsies. Hp organisms were detected in one out of three gastric ulcers, eight of twenty gastric carcinoma and in mucus debris on mucosa of one case of duodenal ulcer. Leung stain enhanced the detection time of organisms and compared favorably with Giemsa stain due to the clear contrast between colors of organisms [blue] and of mucus [yellow]. Also, it was the best regarding technologist's time

Study of angiogenesis and inflammation patterns in ductal carcinoma in-situ of the breast

This study aimed to determine the pattern of microvessels and inflammation around DCIS and assess their relationship to each other and to the histopathological types of DCIS. Two distinct vascular patterns were observed, a diffuse increase of stromal vascularity between duct lesions [Pattern I] in 52% and a dense rim of microvessels adjacent to the basement membrane of individual ducts [Pattern II] in 28% and both patterns in 19%. Pattern I was seen with high grade [Comedo carcinoma]. Two patterns of inflammation were studied in 23/42 cases of DCIS. Clusters of inflammatory cells situated either adjacent to involved duct or in the interductal stroma [17/23]. A less prominent pattern was a diffuse stromal infiltrate of inflammatory cells [6/23]. There was no significant correlation between patterns of angiogenesis and patterns of inflammation. Thus, different patterns of inflammation were associated with different patterns of vessels. The clusters of inflammatory cells may be recruited via high endothelial venules induced by the DCIS. Cytokines released by the DCIS and/or inflammatory cells [clusters or diffuse] may stimulate the two patterns of new vessels formation. This study suggested that distinct patterns of vascularity in DCIS might be useful for identifying patients who are at high risk

Parasitological and histopathological studies on intestinal coccidian parasities in immunosuppressed mice.

Immunosuppression of 24 clean laboratory albino mice treated with cortisone induced infection by three intestinal coccidian parasites, Cryptosporidium [muris and parvum],Microsporidia and Isospora sp. These parasites were detected in stool smears, intestinal scraping smears and intestinal tissue sections of immunosuppressed mice at intervals. Modified Ziehl-Neelsen and Giemsa stains were used for staining of smears. Intestinal tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, modified ZN and alcian yellow toluidine blue. It was found that the modified ZN stain is the best one for the diagnosis of these coccidian parasites in stool smears and in tissue sections. Alcian yellow toluidine blue stain was useful in tissue sections because it provided excellent contrast and stained the organisms with a blue color against a yellow background. Histopathological changes in the intestinal tissues caused by these coccidian parasites were fully described

Gastric emptying and anthroduodenal motility study of patients with functional ulcer like dyspepsia: correlation with histopathological findings and helicobacter pylori

13 patients complaining of functional ulcer like dyspepsia and 8 volunteers healthy persons with comparable age and sex were studied for gastric emptying tests by B-mode sonography and antroduodenal study by colored duplex. Gastro duodenoscopy was done for each patient, biopsies were taken from antrum and corpus. The results showed that there is a correlation between delayed gastric emptying and severity of symptoms. Histopathological examination of biopsies sowed chronic gastritis in all cases and H. pylori infection in 92.3%. So, it is concluded that H. pylori may play a role in the pathogenesis of functional ulcer like dyspepsia