Morphological, immunohistochernical and ultrastructural study of langerhans cell histiocytosis

A total of 23 samples of 21 patients designated Langerhans cell Histiocytosis [LCH] or eosinophilic granuloma were collected. Light microscopy showed that the picture of LCHs was a mixture of Langerhans [LCs] and eosinophils in varying proportions along with occasional giant cells of foreign body and Langhans giant cells, lymphocytes and neutrophils. Immunohistochemical study of the 21 cases [23 specimens] of LCHs showed mostly negative staining for alph alpha-1- antitrypsin. Out of the 23 specimens, 19 specimens [83%] were positive for S 100. CD Ta was performed on all cases with 100% positivity. The macrophages were negative for CD Ia and S100 but were positive for alpha-1- antitrypsin. The staining for NSE was positive for 19 specimens but it was non-specific as the histiocytes showed positive staining also. All the 21 cases [23 specimens] studied by electron microscopy had the characteristic features of Langerhans' cell Histiocytosis in the form of Birbeck granules along with the deeply cleaved or pseudo-multisegmented nuclei with finely dispersed, thinly marginated chromatin and an inconspicuous nucleoli. It was concluded that the diagnosis of LCH should be based on the presence of at least two out of four which are :-1- The clinical findings including radiological investigations 2- the presence of the typical Langerhans cells and eosinophils by light microscopy 3- positivity for CD Ta [OKT-6] by immunohistochemistry 4- The presence of Birbeck granules by electron microscopy

Axonemal utrastructural abnormalities: primary [genetic] versus secondary [acquired] ciliary dyskinesia coiled by control

Primary ciliary dyskinesia [PCD] is an autosomal disorder that includes Kartagner's syndrome, immotile cilia syndrome, ciliary dysmotility and primary orientation defects. It is characterized clinically by sinusitis, otitis media, bronchiectasis, male infertility and often dextrocardia. The present work represents a .comparative quantitative study of the respiratory ciliary mucosa in PCD [6 cases], secondary ciliary dyskinesia [SCD] [6 cases] and 12 cases of normal non-inflamed mucosa as a control group. The light microscopy, the ultrastructure constituents and the deviation angle of the cilia were studied. There was no difference by light microscopy while the differences on the ciliary constituents were statistically insignificant [p>0.005]. It was found that the mean ciliary deviation angle in both the control group and the SCD were less than 30 while in PCD it was 43. The pattern of the histogram can aid in the diagnosis. The interpretation of the different ultrastructural findings should be associated with the deviation angle, along with the history of sinusitis, otitis media and respiratory tract infection since birth

prevalence of pathological types of malignant renal neoplasms at King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital

The aim of this retrospective study is to estimate the prevalence of renal adult epithelial tumors as well as Wilms' tumor at King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital [KAAUH], Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [KSA], highlighting some of their pathological aspects and comparing our findings with other published data in the literature. The study included 74 cases of renal tumors which were examined in the department of Histopathology at KAAUH, Jeddah, KSA, from January 1995 to December 2005. The tumors were classified and the histopathological characteristics of each tumor were studied, statistically analyzed and compared with age and gender of the patients. All retrieved cases sent to histopathology department at KAAUH, Jeddah, as renal mass or tumor were reevaluated. The cases were grouped into four main categories; Renal call carcinoma [41 cases], Wilms tumor [19 cases], Urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis [9 cases] and a miscellaneous group which did not fall into the previous categories [5 cases]. Despite the narrow fraction of our studied cases, this study could help in giving insight that the prevalence of renal neoplasms at KAAUH is approaching that internationally documented in literature. Nevertheless, a broader community based study in Jeddah or even the whole kingdom would be helpful