Primary malignant melanoma of the small intestine: a report of 2 cases and a review of the literature

The majority of malignant melanomas in the small intestine are metastases from primary cutaneous lesions, it can also develop as a primary mucosal tumor in the gastrointestinal tract. In this report, we present rare cases of primary small bowel melanoma and review the current literature. A 78-year-old male presented with abdominal pain and CT enterography identified a ileal mass. A 79-year-old female presented with signs and symptoms of partial small bowel obstruction. Abdominopelvic CT and small bowel series revealed a obstructing mass in the distal jejunum. The masses were confirmed on laparotomy and histologically diagnosed as melanoma. Extensive postoperative clinical examination revealed no cutaneous lesions. A primary small bowel melanoma is an extremely rare neoplasm. A definite diagnosis can only be made after a thorough investigation has been made to exclude the coexistence of a primary lesion. Curative resection of the tumor remains the treatment of choice.

Diagnostic Trends and Clinical Characteristics of Eosinophilic Esophagitis: A Korean, Single-center Database Study

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is reportedly increasing in Western countries. However, its prevalence in Korea remains unknown. We investigated the diagnostic trends and clinical characteristics of EoE in Korea. METHODS: Using an endoscopic database maintained at a tertiary care center, we retrospectively reviewed the biopsy reports regarding 18 399 biopsy specimens collected from all patients who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy and esophageal biopsy at this facility between 2006 and 2014. The presence of more than 15 eosinophils per high-power field with symptoms related to esophageal dysfunction was considered to indicate EoE. RESULTS: A total of 37 patients (male:female ratio, 29:8; mean age, 44.0 ± 13.0 years) were diagnosed with EoE. These patients presented with dysphagia (21.6%), epigastric pain (21.6%), heartburn (24.3%), and other symptoms (32.4%). Typical endoscopic appearance of EoE was noted in 33 cases (89.1%) and included linear furrows in 24 cases (64.8%), ringed esophagus in 10 cases (27.0%), and white exudates in 11 cases (29.7%). The median eosinophilic count was 25 per high-power field (interquartile range, 20–70). Notable histopathological findings included eosinophilic microabscesses in 21 cases (56.7%). The diagnosis rate of EoE was found to have increased from 2006 and to 2014 (P-value < 0.001 by the Cochran-Armitage trend test). CONCLUSIONS: The number of patients with EoE appears to have increased significantly over the 9-year period investigated, while the number of endoscopic investigations increased only marginally. Greater awareness of EoE and the role of esophageal biopsies should be considered.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Arising in a Huge Hepatocellular Adenoma with Bone Marrow Metaplasia

Hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) is the most common type of benign liver tumor, and its major complication is malignant transformation to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we report a case of HCC arising in HCA with bone marrow metaplasia in a 24-year-old Korean woman who presented with abdominal discomfort. A huge liver mass was found on abdominal ultrasonography. She underwent surgical hepatic resection, and the resected specimen was entirely involved by a 20-cm-sized tumor. Histological review revealed a well differentiated HCC arising from inflammatory HCA with β-catenin nuclear positivity and bone marrow metaplasia that contained hematopoietic cells. This case was unique because malignant transformation, inflammatory type HCA, β-catenin nuclear staining, and bone marrow metaplasia were simultaneously observed. Additionally, it should be noted that a large HCA with β-catenin activation can undergo malignant transformation and should be surgically resected in a timely manner.

Imaging of F-18 FDG PET/CT and follow up of bilateral invasive adrenal diffuse large B cell lymphoma mimicking adrenocortical carcinoma / 고신대학교의과대학학술지

The incidence of malignant adrenal tumors, including primary adrenal lymphoma (PAL) and adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), is rather low. Early differentiation between ACC and PAL is necessary because the therapeutic strategies for the two differ and the prognosis of each disease is poor. Unfortunately, there is no pathognomonic characteristic of PAL, so radiologists have difficulty in differentiating it from ACC. To our knowledge, there have been only two case reports on ACC that was evaluated and followed up using F-18 FDG PET/CT. The previously reported cases were simple, involving only the bilateral adrenal glands. Here, we report on a 52-year-old man diagnosed with PAL that radiologically mimicked ACC. He had findings of heterogeneous enhancement on CT, several adjacent lymphadenopathies with internal necrosis, and abutting hepatic and bilateral crural invasion. After pathological confirmation, we monitored his prognosis using F-18 FDG PET/CT after three cycles of rituximab-CHOP and again after six cycles of treatment.

Indeterminate Dendritic Cell Tumor: A Case Report of a Rare Langerhans Cell Lineage Disease

No abstract available.

Clear Cell Papulosis: A Case Report

No abstract available.

An Unexpected Death Related to Accidental Gasoline Inhalation / 대한법의학회지

Gasoline is a chemical compound of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, and it easily vaporizes because of its volatile characteristics. Gasoline inhalation may occur accidentally or intentionally in various situations which could result in acute non-lethal or lethal intoxication. Given that gasoline is widely used in everyday life, it is surprising that deaths related to gasoline inhalation rarely occur. We presented a rare case of unexpected death related to gasoline inhalation with the postmortem findings and features.

Lung Transplantation for Chronic Humidifier Disinfectant-Associated Lung Injury / 대한구급학회지

In the spring of 2011, a cluster of lung injuries caused by humidifier disinfectant (HD) usage were reported in Korea. Many patients required mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and even lung transplantation (LTPL). However, the long-term course of HD-associated lung injury remains unclear because the majority of survivors recovered normal lung function. Here we report a 33-year-old woman who underwent LTPL approximately four years after severe HD-associated lung injury. The patient was initially admitted to the intensive care unit and was supported by a high-flow nasal cannula. Although she had been discharged, she was recurrently admitted to our hospital due to progressive lung fibrosis and a persistent decline in lung function. Finally, sequential double LTPL was successfully performed, and the patient's clinical and radiological findings showed significant improvement. Therefore, we conclude that LTPL can be a therapeutic option for patients with chronic inhalation injury.

Immunohistochemistry for Pathologists: Protocols, Pitfalls, and Tips

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is an important auxiliary method for pathologists in routine diagnostic work as well as in basic and clinical research including exploration of biomarkers, as IHC allows confirmation of target molecule expressions in the context of microenvironment. Although there has been a considerable progress in automation and standardization of IHC, there are still many things to be considered in proper optimization and appropriate interpretation. In this review, we aim to provide possible pitfalls and useful tips for practicing pathologists and residents in pathology training. First, general procedure of IHC is summarized, followed by pitfalls and tips in each step and a summary of troubleshooting. Second, ways to an accurate interpretation of IHC are discussed, with introduction to general quantification and analysis methods. This review is not intended to provide complete information on IHC, but to be used as a basic reference for practice and publication.

Lung Transplantation for Chronic Humidifier Disinfectant-Associated Lung Injury / 대한중환자의학회지

In the spring of 2011, a cluster of lung injuries caused by humidifier disinfectant (HD) usage were reported in Korea. Many patients required mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and even lung transplantation (LTPL). However, the long-term course of HD-associated lung injury remains unclear because the majority of survivors recovered normal lung function. Here we report a 33-year-old woman who underwent LTPL approximately four years after severe HD-associated lung injury. The patient was initially admitted to the intensive care unit and was supported by a high-flow nasal cannula. Although she had been discharged, she was recurrently admitted to our hospital due to progressive lung fibrosis and a persistent decline in lung function. Finally, sequential double LTPL was successfully performed, and the patient's clinical and radiological findings showed significant improvement. Therefore, we conclude that LTPL can be a therapeutic option for patients with chronic inhalation injury.