Mucin stain on frozen sections: a rapid 3-minute method.

CONTEXT: The importance of frozen-section diagnoses in the practice of pathology cannot be overemphasized. In some cases, the use of a mucin stain can greatly aid in the diagnosis. Since few methods for mucin staining have been described that can be used in the frozen-section setting, we developed one such staining procedure for mucin. OBJECTIVE: To develop a rapid mucicarmine staining technique to be used on frozen sections that does not significantly delay overall turnaround time. DESIGN: A standard mucicarmine staining technique was modified by using a concentrated mucicarmine stain and a microwave oven, to reduce the total staining time to 3 minutes or less. Frozen tissue from normal colonic mucosa was used as a control, and skin from extramammary Paget disease for evaluation of margins was used as a case. RESULTS: The rapid mucicarmine stain successfully demonstrated the presence of mucin on frozen-tissue sections. Mucin stained deep rose, and the connective tissue stained green. CONCLUSION: This rapid and simple mucin staining technique can be used on frozen sections with no significant effect on the overall turnaround time, thereby aiding rapid diagnosis on frozen sections.

Malignant phyllodes tumor with chondrosarcomatous differentiation: report of a case with cytological presentation.

Malignant phyllodes tumor is a rare breast tumor with neoplastic epithelial and stromal components. The stromal component may show homologous and heterologous sarcomatous elements, including chondrosarcomatous and osteosarcomatous differentiation. Because these tumors may present with an almost exclusively sarcomatous component, it is important for the pathologist to include this entity in the diagnostic considerations of fine-needle aspirations of breast neoplasms showing sarcomatous differentiation. Following surgical excision, careful examination of the gross specimen and thorough sampling of the specimen is recommended before rendering a definitive histologic diagnosis. We describe the cytologic and histologic findings in a case of malignant phyllodes tumor with sarcomatous overgrowth showing predominantly chondrosarcomatous differentiation.

Focal hematopoietic hyperplasia of the rib. Report of a case diagnosed by fine needle aspiration.

BACKGROUND: Focal hematopoietic hyperplasia (FHH) of the rib is a rare, benign, localized proliferation of bone marrow to such a degree that it produces a tumorlike expansion of the rib that can be the source of considerable clinical alarm. In the appropriate clinical setting, this lesion needs to be included in the differential diagnosis of solitary bone lesions, in particular when assessing the adequacy of a specimen at the time of aspiration. CASE: A large, lytic mass on the posterior aspect of the sixth rib was incidentally discovered on a chest roentgenogram from a 46-year-old male during a routine presurgical evaluation for diverticulitis. The radiologic characteristics of the tumor were thought to be consistent with a neoplasm; that prompted a recommendation for fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). The mass was thoroughly sampled under radiologic guidance, performing multiple aspirations of different areas. All smears prepared at the time of the aspiration for the evaluation of specimen adequacy showed abundant marrow tissue without any evidence of malignancy. Although it was initially thought that the tissue was probably obtained from the periphery of the lesion, this notion was discarded after multiple passes from different areas showed only marrow tissue and since there was radiologic evidence that the sample was obtained from within the lesion. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of FHH of the rib by FNAB or other small-biopsy techniques requires strict radiologic-pathologic correlation. Awareness of this entity will avoid unnecessary repeated biopsy procedures and potentially large, complicated surgical procedures. This case shares several features with the other two reported cases: a solitary lesion on the rib presenting in an asymptomatic patient with no evidence of associated hematologic disease.

Studies on some umbelliferous herbs.

Experimental evidences are offered in this article for the popular medicinal use of some umbelliferous herbs.