Moosa Khalil

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Standard vs Endobronchial Ultrasonography-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration in Patients With Suspected Sarcoidosis

BACKGROUND Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) of mediastinal lymph nodes has been found to be more accurate than standard TBNA in the setting of malignancy. In patients with suspected sarcoidosis, the smaller ultrasound needle may yield inadequate material to make a histologic diagnosis of granulomatous inflammation. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic yield of EBUS-guided TBNA to TBNA performed with a standard 19-gauge needle in patients with mediastinal adenopathy and a clinical suspicion of sarcoidosis. METHODS A randomized controlled trial was performed in a university medical center, enrolling 50 patients (of 61 screened, 2 declined, and 9 did not meet entry criteria) with hilar and/or mediastinal adenopathy and a clinical suspicion of sarcoidosis. Twenty-four patients were randomized to undergo EBUS-guided TBNA and 26 to undergo TBNA using a standard 19-gauge needle. RESULTS The primary outcome measure of diagnostic yield was 53.8% vs 83.3% in favor of the EBUS-guided TBNA group, an absolute increase of 29.5% (p < 0.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 8.6 to 55.4%). After blinded research pathology review, diagnostic yield was 73.1% vs 95.8%, in favor of the EBUS-guided TBNA group, an absolute increase of 22.7% (p = 0.05; 95% CI, 1.9 to 42.2%). Sensitivity and specificity were 60.9% and 100%, respectively, in the standard TBNA group, and 83.3% and 100%, respectively, in the EBUS-guided TBNA group (absolute increase in sensitivity, 22.5%; p = 0.085; 95% CI, 3.2 to 44.9%). CONCLUSIONS The diagnostic yield of EBUS-guided TBNA is superior to TBNA using a standard 19-gauge needle for sampling of mediastinal lymph nodes in patients with a clinical suspicion of sarcoidosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00373555.

A pathologic re-review of follicular thyroid neoplasms: The impact of changing the threshold for the diagnosis of the follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma

BACKGROUND Histopathologic criterion for follicular variant of papillary thyroid cancer (FVPTC) has only recently been utilized universally. The purpose was to determine whether, on review, these criteria would result in a change in diagnosis of follicular neoplasm (FN). METHODS A ten-year clinical cohort included patients with a diagnosis of a follicular adenoma, follicular carcinoma (FC), or FVPTC. The archived sections were re-examined by two pathologists blinded to the original diagnoses. Clinical follow-up, including ultrasonography, was carried out on all patients with a change in diagnosis. RESULTS One hundred eighty-five patients met the inclusion criteria. Initially, 118 were benign, 56 were FVPTC, and 11 were FC. Overall, 46 (25%) patients had a change in diagnosis on re-review; 35 were reclassified from a benign diagnosis to a re-reviewed malignant diagnosis, with 5 reclassified as minimally invasive FC, 4 as occult PTC, and 26 (74%) as FVPTC. Of the 26 FVPTC, only 10 (38%) had undergone a total thyroidectomy (TT). The mean follow-up was 105 months (range, 24-156). None of these patients had evidence of recurrent or persistent disease. Eleven patients were reclassified to a benign diagnosis. Eight have undergone a TT, with 3 of these patients receiving I(131) ablation therapy. A third independent thyroid pathologist also reviewed the histopathologic slides of these 46 patients and concurred with the change in diagnosis in 41 of the 46 patients. CONCLUSIONS Reclassification of FN increased malignant lesions from 36% to 48%. Although there have been no clinical ramifications in the patients with a changed diagnosis, the ethical issues surrounding these 46 patients are important and present a substantive quandary to the clinicians responsible for their care.

Cytologic assessment of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspirates in sarcoidosis.

Background:The purpose of this study was to determine interobserver variability, the relative importance of cytologic preparations, and factors influencing the diagnostic yield of mediastinal lymph node aspirates in suspected sarcoidosis. Methods:Analysis of mediastinal lymph node aspirates obtained during a randomized study of endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) and conventional TBNA in patients with suspected sarcoidosis. All aspirates were processed by the monolayer ThinPrep method and cell blocks were prepared when feasible. The slides were reviewed by 2 cytopathologists, blinded to the study group. Lymph node location, size, number of aspirates, and diagnosis were recorded. A research cytopathologist recorded the presence of noncaseating granulomas in the monolayer and cell block preparations separately. Results:Fifty patients were enrolled in the study, with 152 lymph nodes available for analysis (95 EBUS-TBNA, 57 conventional TBNA). The overall diagnostic yield was 64.5% on a per-lymph node basis. There was good agreement between cytopathologists (&kgr;=0.677, P<0.001). Both liquid-based cytology and cell blocks were important in identifying granulomatous inflammation, with each being solely positive in 22% of cases. The diagnostic yield was not altered by lymph node location, size, or number of aspirates per node. Conclusions:Liquid-based cytology and cell block specimens are equally important in maximizing the diagnostic yield in EBUS-guided and conventional TBNA in suspected sarcoidosis. Good interobserver agreement between cytopathologists was noted, with improved diagnostic yield after review by a pulmonary cytopathologist. None of the clinical factors assessed impacted on the diagnostic yield of the procedure on a per-node basis.

Cytopathology including fine-needle aspiration in sub-Saharan Africa: a Cameroon experience.

CONTEXT Surgical pathology is unavailable in most of sub-Saharan Africa because of equipment costs and lack of expertise. Cytopathology is an inexpensive and reliable alternative. OBJECTIVE To explore the utility of cytopathology in a rural hospital setting in Africa. DESIGN A cytopathologist and a pathology resident from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, went to Cameroon to provide a cytopathology service at the Banso Baptist Hospital. Both performed the fine-needle aspiration procedures. Direct smears were fixed in alcohol and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Surgical specimens subsequently obtained from the patients were processed and reported at Calgary Laboratory Services, Canada. The histopathologic diagnoses were the gold standard for determining the accuracy of the cytologic diagnoses. RESULTS Fifty-nine patients were examined during a 5-week period, 33 females (56%) and 26 males (44%). Sixteen (27%) were known to be HIV positive. Forty-four fine-needle aspiration procedures were performed for 43 patients (73%). The cost of each procedure was approximately US

A case report of an extremely rare and aggressive tumor: primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma

10. Head and neck and breast were the sites most frequently sampled for aspirates. Cervical smears from 5 patients were also assessed, as were 8 fluid specimens and 2 touch preparations of prostatic core biopsies. The most frequent diagnoses for malignancy were carcinoma and lymphoma. Tuberculous lymphadenitis was diagnosed in 6 patients, 4 of whom were HIV positive. Surgical specimens were received from 18 patients (30%). Cytohistologic and clinicopathologic correlation revealed 1 false-positive (1.6%) and 1 false-negative (1.6%) diagnosis. CONCLUSION Cytopathology is a reliable alternative for tissue diagnosis in low-resource settings.

Primary squamous cell of the thyroid-an abbreviated clinical presentation

Primary pericardial malignant mesothelioma (PMPM) is extremely rare with an incidence less than 0.0022%. It comprises 0.7% of all mesothelioma cases. To date, approximately 350 cases of pericardial mesothelioma have been reported in the literature. Its typical presentation is insidious, with nonspecific signs and symptoms, and usually results in constrictive pericarditis, cardiac tamponade and congestive heart failure either by a serous effusion or by direct tumorous constriction of the heart. With the exception of several case reports, the outcome is uniformly fatal, and patients typically die within six months of diagnosis. Here we report a 72-year-old Cauca -sian male with persistent pericardial and pleural effusion. He was diagnosed with PMPM after pericardectomy. He had only one cycle of chemotherapy with cisplatin and pemetrexed. He developed acute kidney injury as result of chemotherapy. He died 1 month after diagnosis and 6 months after the first symptoms.

Occult Multifocal Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma Presenting as a Supraclavicular Mass Containing Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma

BackgroundLacking any squamous epithelium, thyroid gland with primary squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) proves to be an etiopathophysiological quandary. Two major theories do exist, though few cases have been documented to support either. We present a case that supports the “metaplasia” theory, which serves to enhance our understanding of a disease that carries with it a very poor prognosis.Case presentationWe present a case of an extremely advanced, primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid with distant metastases in a thirty-six year-old male. Dying of airway compromise seventeen days following his admission, this is the shortest median survival of all documented cases.ConclusionIn addition to being the most abbreviated time period between presentation and death of all documented thyroid primary squamous cell carcinomas, we share the fifth case of thyroid PSCC in the setting of lymphocytic thyroiditis. This case should build awareness of the aggressivity of the disease and the lack of established diagnostic criteria.

Granulocytic sarcoma of the breast: a case study in LAO PDR

IMPORTANCE There are reports in the literature of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma in cervical lymph nodes with evidence of only papillary carcinoma in the thyroid gland. There have been no cases of this clinical scenario with only papillary microcarcinoma in the thyroid gland. OBSERVATIONS We describe the case of a 60-year-old man who initially presented with an enlarged right, level 5, supraclavicular lymph node. Initial fine-needle aspiration demonstrated evidence of papillary thyroid carcinoma. The final pathologic finding in the thyroid gland showed only multiple foci of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma. The index neck mass showed evidence of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This is the first instance in the literature in which anaplastic thyroid carcinoma has appeared in metastatic cervical lymph nodes with only a focus of papillary microcarcinoma in the thyroid gland. With this case, we hope to build awareness of this rare finding.

Molecular profiling of thyroid nodule fine-needle aspiration cytology

Granulocytic sarcoma (GS) also called, myeloid sarcoma, chloroma, myeloblastoma or extra medullary myeloid tumor is an extra medullary hematopoietic neoplasm composed of immature myeloid cell (myeloblasts). GS may occur in leukemia, myeloproliferative disorder. GS can occur in any site of the body; common sites of involvement include bone, CNS, soft tissue, lymph nodes and skin, but breast is very rare. GS of breast have been reported both before and after hematological diagnosis. Primary, isolate or non-leukemic GS of breast was described when bone marrow biopsy to confirm as no other hematologic malignancy. Depending on review of all Medline cases reported, only 24 cases of primary were commonly in unilateral site, and only 4 cases were bilateral site. The incidence of GS of breast is 2/1,000,000 in adults and ages ranged from 16–72 years (mean 31 years). The histology was composed of homomorphous of eosinophil cytoplasm of immature cell with single or multiple nucleoli. The malignant cells were positive for myeloperoxidase (MPO), CD43, CD34, TDT, CD 117, CD68 and negative for CD20, CD30, CD3, CD56, CD79 and ULH1.The differential diagnosis included lymphoma and poorly differentiated carcinoma. The prognosis was very poor. We report a case of granulocytic sarcoma (GS) in the left breast of a 33-year-old woman who presented with breast mass, which was diagnosed as diffuse lymphoma, large cell type on H&E histopathology without any special straining, immunohistochemical and very limited of patient information such as echography, CBC, FNA or biopsy of breast or bone marrow tissue. The final diagnosis was made by additional immunohistochemical study.