Nonparasitic splenic cysts. Ultrasonographic features and follow-up.

Sixty-three patients with splenic cysts, multiple in 7 cases, were reviewed. Only 3 patients had a history of previous abdominal trauma. The cysts ranged in size from less than 1 cm to 15 cm. They were anechoic in 40 patients, hypoechoic in 16, isoechoic in 4, mixed in one, and in 2 cases the echogenicity could not be assessed due to thick marginal calcifications. The echogenic cysts were larger than the anechoic ones and frequently calcified, and the findings at surgery, fine-needle aspiration biopsy and follow-up suggested the echogenicity to be related to a fresh or previous episode of intracystic hemorrhage. Initially, surgical treatment was undertaken on 10 patients, electively in 9 cases and due to cyst rupture in one. At follow-up (n = 37), the size of the cyst had increased markedly over several years in only 2 patients, necessitating delayed surgery in one. Routine follow-up of asymptomatic splenic cysts was of no clinical value.

Follicular dendritic cells have prognostic relevance in Hodgkin's disease.

The authors' previous study showed the presence of follicular dendritic cell (FDC) networks--though altered--in neoplastic areas, not only in the nodular lymphocyte predominance type, but also in other types of Hodgkin's disease. The present retrospective study was performed on 102 patients to determine whether the presence or absence of FDC networks, or parts of them, in neoplastic areas has prognostic relevance in Hodgkin's disease. Follicular dendritic cells were visualized with the monoclonal antibody Ki-FDC1P, which selectively stains FDCs in paraffin-embedded tissues. Univariate statistical analysis, in which nodular sclerosis (NS) and mixed cellularity (MC) types were combined, showed three prognostically different groups: the best prognosis was associated with nodular lymphocyte predominance cases; the worst with FDC-negative NS or MC cases; and an intermediate prognosis with FDC-positive NS or MC cases. In the NS group, the prognosis of FDC-positive cases was better than that of FDC-negative cases. After multivariate analysis, stepwise modeling identified three prognostic factors at diagnosis: stage (P = .001), FDC status (P = .001), and age (P = .06). The authors conclude that in the most common types of Hodgkin's disease (nodular lymphocyte predominance, NS, and MC), FDC status in the neoplastic area(s) bears prognostic relevance, a positive FDC status predicting a favorable prognosis and a negative FDC status an unfavorable one.

Castleman's disease. Differences in follicular dendritic network in the hyaline vascular and plasma cell variants.

Twenty-seven cases of the hyaline vascular variant and 10 cases of the plasma cell variant of Castleman's disease were studied with the paraffin resistant monoclonal antibodies Ki-FDC1p and/or Ki-M4p against follicular dendritic cells. Studies with the monoclonal antibody Ki-M9, for the detection of sinus lining cells, were also performed on the available frozen tissue in four cases of the hyaline vascular variant. In nine of the 10 plasma cell variant cases, the predominant type of follicular dendritic cell network was similar to that seen in normal or reactive germinal centres. In contrast, the hyaline vascular variant demonstrated either an expanded, disrupted, follicular dendritic cell network (10 cases) or multiple tight collections of follicular dendritic cells (16 cases). Sinus lining cells were not detected in the four cases studied. The difference in the predominant type of dendritic meshwork is an additional distinguishing feature to separate the plasma cell and hyaline vascular variants of Castleman's disease. The patterns of dendritic network seen in the hyaline vascular type, together with the absence of sinus lining cells, appear to favour the hamartoma theory proposed for this variant.

Influence of Epstein-Barr virus genomes on patient survival in Hodgkin's disease.

In previous studies, Epstein-Barr virus was considered a possible etiologic factor in Hodgkin's disease. Two hundred twenty-nine cases of Hodgkin's disease were investigated for the presence of Epstein-Barr virus DNA using the polymerase chain reaction technique on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded lymph node tissue to clarify the clinical importance of the incidence of this genome. In 42 cases (18.3%), genomic DNA was not amplifiable. The remaining 187 cases included the following subtypes: lymphocyte-predominant type (n = 13), nodular sclerosis type (n = 98), mixed cellularity type (n = 68), and lymphocyte-depleted type (n = 8). Sixty-six cases (35.2%) were positive for Epstein-Barr virus DNA. In the statistical analysis of available follow-up data from 130 patients, no influence of a positive Epstein-Barr virus DNA finding on length of survival time was revealed. This was true within the cohort of all patients and within the histologically defined subtypes of Hodgkin's disease. In this investigation, detection of Epstein-Barr virus DNA by polymerase chain reaction showed no prognostic relevance for patients with Hodgkin's disease.

Abdominal ultrasonography in myelofibrosis.

The findings at abdominal ultrasonography (US) in 40 patients with myelofibrosis were reviewed, 20 patients being examined at initial diagnosis and 31 at later stages. Splenomegaly was found in 80% at initial diagnosis and in 97% at later stages. The spleen of 2 patients appeared homogeneously hypoechoic and inhomogeneous in one. Focal splenic lesions were seen in 5, and calcifications in 6. Mixed splenic lesions proved to be metastases in one and hyperechoic lesions in another patient were due to extramedullary hematopoiesis. Hepatomegaly was found in 25% at primary diagnosis and in 39% at later stages. Focal hepatic lesions were seen in 7 patients, and proved to be metastases in 3. The focal lesions in 2 of these patients were extramedullary hematopoiesis, which was hypoechoic in one and hyperechoic in the other. Ascites was seen in 4 patients and lymphadenopathy in one. US could not reliably differentiate between extramedullary hematopoiesis and malignancy. Fine-needle biopsy may be performed for definitive diagnosis.

[Influence of Epstein-Barr virus genome on patient survival in Hodgkin's disease]. / Einfluss von Epstein-Barr Virusgenom auf die Uberlebenszeit von Patienten mit M. Hodgkin.

In the literature EBV is considered a possible etiologic factor for Hodgkin's disease (HD). We investigated 187 cases of HD for the presence of Epstein Barr virus using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique on formalin fixed, paraffin embedded lymph node tissue to clarify the clinical importance of the incidence of this genome. The 187 cases included all subtypes. 66 cases (35.2%) were positive for EBV DNA. The statistical analysis of follow-up data from 130 patients revealed no influence of EBV DNA on survival time. In our investigation detection of EBV DNA by PCR showed no prognostic relevance for patients with HD.

Follicular dendritic cells in Hodgkin's disease.

The distribution of follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) was studied in 66 lymph nodes affected by Hodgkin's disease (HD) from as many patients with the use of the monoclonal antibody Ki-FDC1P, which stains FDCs in paraffin sections. Two distinct FDC patterns were distinguishable in the neoplastic areas: pattern A, showing FDC networks occupied by nongerminal center cells, often expanded and disrupted; and pattern B, with FDCs rare or lacking. Pattern A, with follicle-occupying cells represented by epithelioid and lymphocytic and histiocytic (L and H) cells, was found in about 90% of the cases of nodular lymphocyte predominance type and in about half of the cases of nodular sclerosis type, with the follicle-occupying cells being lacunar cells. In the group of mixed cellularity type, approximately one-fifth of the cases exhibited pattern A and in these cases the follicle-occupying cells were Sternberg-Reed, Hodgkin's, and epithelioid cells. The presence of follicular structures, although abnormal, is a more common occurrence in HD than is appreciable with the use of conventional histologic methods.

Sutureless colon anastomosis with fibrin glue in the rat.

The only technique available for creating an intestinal anastomosis without tissue strangulation is gluing. Theoretically, this could lead to a higher hydroxyproline content and greater mechanical strength than in a sutured anastomosis. To test the hypothesis, 83 rats underwent left colon resection and inverted primary anastomosis with either one layer of sutures (NG group) or fibrin glue (FG group). Seven-day FG anastomoses showed less adhesions (P = .02) but one subclinical leakage and a further radiologic one, compared with a greater amount of adhesions but no leakages in the NG group. The mean bursting pressures (mmHg) in the FG and NG groups, respectively, were 25 +/- 20 (SD) and 63 +/- 23 (N.S.) 30 minutes after surgery, 107 +/- 33 and 115 +/- 30 after one day, 81 +/- 31 and 133 +/- 26 (P less than .001) after four days, and 161 +/- 36 and 175 +/- 24 after seven days. The somewhat earlier rise in hydroxyproline content in the glued anastomoses did not lead to significant intergroup differences. The glued anastomoses were thus weak during the critical lag period of healing. Also, by preventing adhesion formation, the glue may reduce the extra blood supply from perianastomotic vessels. The outcomes might have differed more under demanding experimental or clinical situations.

Primary liver cancer associated with long-term oestrogen therapy.

A woman with primary liver cancer after nine years therapy with polyestradiol-phosphate is reported. The oestrogen was administered monthy by intramuscular injection for menopausal symptoms. This case suggests a possible association between long-term oestrogen therapy and the development of hepatic malignancy and also must direct attention to both hormone components in the evaluation of tumour development in users or oral contraceptives.