Osamu Tokunaga

Cytodiagnosis of Central neurocytoma in intraoperative preparations

OBJECTIVE To assess the cytologic features in smear preparations of 3 central neurocytomas. STUDY DESIGN Three patients with central neurocytoma underwent intraoperative frozen section diagnoses, and the cytologic evaluations are presented. RESULTS The smears typically showed cellular tumors composed of isomorphous, round cells. The tumor cells showed ill-defined cytoplasm oval nuclei with finely granular chromatin and micronucleoli. A fibrillary matrix in the background was noted in all cases. The tumor in the 20-year-old patient exhibited numerous giant cells with phyagocytosed hemosiderin granules between small, round tumor cells. Permanent sections, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy confirmed that all cases were central neurocytomas. CONCLUSION Central neurocytomas can be diagnosed reliably using combined cytologic preparations and frozen sections. The appearance of numerous macrophages that phagocytose hemosiderin between neoplastic cells should also be considered characteristic of the cytomorphology of central neurocytomas.

GROSS and MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERISTICS OF STOMACH CANCER WITH MICROANGIOPATHIC HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA AND/OR DISSEMINATED INTRAVASCULAR COAGULOPATHY

We described gross and microscopic characteristics of 11 autopsied cases of stomach cancer with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and/or disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. They were divided into two groups grossly. One was superficial carcinoma and the other diffuse infiltrating and fungating carcinoma. Superficial carcinoma arose multicentrically and showed figures of signet ring cell carcinoma. This condition was accompanied by marked pulmonary tumor emboli and bone marrow dissemination in the initial stage of cancer evolution. Diffuse infiltrating and fungating carcinoma arose in the corpus and showed variable histological features. Dissemination of tumor cells to the bone marrow was seen in the terminal stage. Stomach cancer in this series consisted of two different groups on gross, microscopic and metastatic features. Signet ring cell of superficial carcinoma showed characteristic biological features with respect to local extension and metastasis. ACTA PATHOL. JPN. 35: 809–822, 1985.

PSEUDOLYMPHOMA OF THE STOMACH NODULAR TYPE

A case of nodular type of pseudolymphoma of the stomach was reported. The tumor measured 3.2 by 2.0 by 0.7 cm and was located astride the greater curvature of the muscularis propria. It was composed of many germinal centers surrounded by mature lymphocytes. There was no evidence of a previous peptic ulcer. The patient is now alive without any symptoms 8 years after the operation.

Variant endothelial cells from human carotid artery in culture.

SummaryEndothelial cells were cultured from the carotid artery with thickened intima comprised of two to five layers of smooth muscle cells, isolated from a 19-yr-old female, who died from a accident. The cells were grown and subcultured in Medium 199 supplemented with 20% heat inactivated fetal bovine serum. The cells are still viable at present, the 22nd passage.The cultured cells were found to have the following characteristics: existence of Factor VIII-related surface angiten and prostacyclin synthesis slightly less than that for typical endothelial cells. The most outstnading feature was the formation by an individual cell of a single ring, and composite ring formed by two to five cells. Neither the synthesis of an angiotensin converting enzyme nor that of a Weibel-Palade body could be detected by electron microscopy. The cultured cells possessed only a few characteristics specific for typical endothelial cells and were designated as variant endothelial cells.

COLLISION TUMOR OF THE STOMACH WITH CARCINO‐SARCOMA AND TUBULO‐PAPILLARY ADENOCARCINOMA

The present case is an autopsy case of a 66‐year‐old male who developed a collision tumor in the stomach which was originated from carcinosarcoma of Borrmann type II in the gastric antrum and from papillary adenocarcinoma of Borrmann type III in the corpus. The carcinosarcoma consisted of tubular carcinoma and sarcomatous transformation of stroma from the carcinoma.

Measles giant cell pneumonia in childhood leukemia in remission.

A four‐year old girl had acute lymphoblastic leukemia in remission with immunosuppressive chemotherapy and complicated giant cell pneumonia. Investigations by light and electron microscopy and immunoperoxidase study of autopsy material disclosed measles virus nature of the penumonia, although there was no typical rash of the disease. Similar giant cells were seen in the gastric and colon mucosa, and the other of Warthin‐Finkeldey type in the spleen, and lymph nodes of pulmonary hiluses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first discription of gastric giant cells with inclusion of measles virus.

Subacute necrotizing encephalomyelopathy (Leigh disease): report of a case with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome

More than 100 cases of Leigh disease have been reported. None have shown Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. We report here the first known case of Leigh disease with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and discuss the clinical course in detail. A 3 1/2-year-old-boy was admitted with multiple symptoms and despite various therapies he died at age of ten years. Serial CT showed marked cerebral atrophy, ventricular dilatation, and an arachnoid cyst in the posterior fossa. Histopathological findings on autopsy of the brain and spinal cord were consistent with those characteristic of Leigh disease. In the chronic course of Leigh disease, the cerebral cortex was also involved and the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome might be complicated.