Suneet Kumar

Bone marrow biopsy in non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A morphological study

CONTEXT Bone marrow (BM) biopsy is an integral part of staging work-up for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). AIMS To study the characteristics of BM involvement in NHL with respect to incidence, histologic pattern and morphology of infiltration and its discordance with the histology of primary anatomic site. SETTINGS AND DESIGN Forty-nine cases of NHL in which BM biopsy was performed for staging were included in this study, the primary site being classified according to the WHO classification for NHL. MATERIALS AND METHODS A prospective study of 49 cases was conducted. Bilateral BM biopsy was obtained from the posterior superior iliac spine. The biopsies were fixed in 10% buffered formalin solution and decalcified using 10% formal - formic acid for 4 - 6 h followed by routine processing. The serial sections were stained by hematoxylin and eosin and reticulin stains. RESULTS BM biopsy showed involvement by lymphoma in 27 cases (55.10%). Unilateral positivity was found in four cases (14.81% cases). The overall incidence of marrow involvement by NHL was 55.1%. The incidence of involvement was higher in T-cell lymphomas when compared with B-cell lymphomas and predominant pattern of involvement was mixed. Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas had the lowest incidence in all the B-cell lymphomas. A discordant histology between BM and primary anatomic site was found in 29.63% (8/27) of the cases, where it was seen more in follicular lymphomas and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas. CONCLUSIONS Critical examination of BM biopsies can increase the diagnostic accuracy, thereby contributing to the prognosis and appropriate treatment modalities.

Morphometric evaluation of endometrial blood vessels.

Five hundred endometrial specimens were studied to document the changes in blood vessels in various phases of menstrual cycle, menstrual disturbances and in unexplained infertility. Sixty-three cases were taken as control and 437 cases as study group which included cases of dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB), endometrial polyps, fibroids, adenomyosis, infertility and atrophic endometrium. Using light microscopy, the vascular morphology was studied. The blood vessels were concentrated more in basal layer in the proliferative phase and in functional layer in the secretory phase. Cases of complex hyperplasia and pill endometrium had significantly higher vessel concentration. Congestion and dilatation of blood vessels were significantly higher in cases of DUB. The present study showed a positive correlation between endometrial angiogenesis and menstrual disorders. The alteration in blood vessel morphology has significant role in prognosis and in various anti-angiogenic therapies.

Giant hanging melanoma of the eyelid skin

Cutaneous melanoma of the eyelid is a rare entity. We present a 53-year-old male who had a nevus on the left upper eyelid skin since childhood, which transformed into a huge ulcerated hanging mass in the same region. Excision of the mass was done and histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of nodular malignant melanoma. A small preauricular lymph node showed metastatic melanoma on fine needle aspiration cytology.

Coexistent gastric primary choriocarcinoma and adenocarcinoma

Choriocarcinomas are commonly gestational and intrauterine or gonadal in origin. Nongestational and extragonadal disease, especially in the stomach is extremely rare with a poorer prognosis and early metastasis. We herein describe a case of primary gastric choriocarcinoma with liver metastasis in a 69-year-old male. The patient presented with abdominal pain and irregular bowel habits of one month duration. Both endoscopic and radiographic imaging revealed an ulcerated and necrotic circumferential tumor in the pyloric antrum of the stomach. The histopathologic findings of the resected tumor were that of an extensively necrotic and hemorrhagic neoplasm with combined choriocarcinomatous and adenocarcinomatous element. A strongly positive immunohistochemical staining for beta- subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-HCG) in the choriocarcinomatous component and a proper correlation with elevated serum beta-HCG levels confirmed the diagnosis.

Neuronal hypertrophy and mast cells in histologically negative, clinically diagnosed acute appendicitis: a quantitative immunophenotypical analysis.

Introduction and AimIn about 20–25% of appendicectomies performed for clinically suspected acute appendicitis, definite morphological changes are lacking on histopathological examination. The present study was done to investigate whether any changes in neurons and mast cells could be detected in patients presenting with clinical acute appendicitis but found to have normal appendix at histopathology.MethodsA descriptive study was conducted on 50 appendix specimens which were categorized as histology-positive acute appendicitis (HPAA), clinically acute appendicitis but histologically negative (HNAA), appendices resected for other causes and appendices from forensic autopsy. A morphometric and quantitative evaluation of nerve fibers and ganglion plexus and its relation to mast cell density were studied. All sections were subjected to hematoxylin and eosin stain, toluidine blue stain, S 100 protein and neuron specific enolase (NSE) immunostaining and a quantitative image analysis system.ResultsMucosal and submucosal neuronal components highlighted by NSE and S100 immunostaining observed in cases of HNAA were comparable to cases of HPAA. With S 100 immunostaining in HNAA cases, the increase in number and size of myentric neuronal plexus were mild in 40% (10/25) cases, moderate in 40% (10/25) and marked in 20% (5/25) cases as compared to 66.7% (10/15) cases of HPAA showing moderate and 33.3% (5/15) cases showing marked increase (p = 0.018). The mean mast cell count was highest in the HNAA cases (2.74) in all the four layers as compared to the HPAA (1.85) and control group (2.05). There was no difference in the relationship of the size of ganglion cells and the mast cell concentration.ConclusionsNeuronal hypertrophy and mast cells may play a role in the pathogenesis of appendicitis-like pain in patients with histologically normal appendices.

A fetal autopsy case of body stalk anomaly

Body stalk anomaly (BSA) is a sporadic polymalformative syndrome incompatible with extrauterine life. In utero detection of BSA by two-dimensional and three-dimensional ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging has been well documented. We herein describe a case of body stalk anomaly diagnosed at autopsy. The fetus had a large anterior midline abdominal wall defect with eventration of the visceral organs into the amnio-peritoneal sac and a completely absent umbilical cord. The associated anomalies included club foot, absent diaphragm, genitourinary, and gastrointestinal defects. The observed congenital anomalies supported the theory of embryonic dysgenesis as the etiologic factor. One of the major objectives in the performance of fetal autopsy is to be able to detect abnormalities that can have implications in future pregnancies. Despite the negligible familial recurrence rate of the broad spectrum of anomalies associated with this abdominal wall defect, the present case of fetal autopsy indeed delights to serve the living.

Value of bone marrow examination in Hodgkin lymphoma: Report of three cases with review of literature

Bone marrow involvement by Hodgkin lymphoma is rare with an average incidence of 10%. However, the incidence of bone marrow involvement has been shown to be less than 1% in patients with clinical stage IA or IIA disease. The involvement of the marrow in a patient with Hodgkin lymphoma represents stage IV disease. We report our experience wherein three cases of marrow involvement were picked up on bone marrow aspirates/ -imprints and confirmed on trephine biopsy. In this paper we wish to highlight the significance of bone marrow examination in the initial diagnosis and staging of even clinically early stage Hodgkin lymphoma. Staging investigations performed at the time of diagnosis for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma are vital for determining the appropriate treatment and prognosis.

An autopsy case of renal candidiasis.

Systemic candidiasis is the most frequently encountered opportunistic fungal infection, the kidneys being primarily affected in 80% of the cases. Most of the cases are fatal, diagnosed either very late for effective therapeutic intervention or are documented only at postmortem examination. We, herein, report a case of renal candidiasis in an elderly male who died in the hospital while undergoing treatment for head injury and multiple fractures sustained following a road traffic incident. Renal candidiasis with fungal balls obstructing the pelvicalyceal system was diagnosed at autopsy, which may have contributed to death.

Primary cardiac sarcoma.

Primary cardiac sarcomas are uncommon entities. The diagnosis of sarcoma is not made preoperatively because of the rarity of the lesion and the nonspecific nature of the signs and symptoms. This is a report of a case of primary sarcoma arising from the left atrium, in a patient who presented with acute dyspnoea; the sarcoma resembled an atrial myxoma on echocardiography.