Susan Geddes

Endorectal ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration: A useful diagnostic tool for perirectal and intraluminal lesions

Objectives: Endorectal endoscopic ultrasound (ERUS) allows highly detailed assessment of the rectal wall layers and visualization of the extraluminal structures. Herein, we study the utility of ERUS fine-needle aspiration (FNA) to evaluate perirectal lesions. Study Design: Forty-nine ERUS-FNAs were retrieved from the cytopathology archives of The Johns Hopkins Hospital. The cytology slides, corresponding histology, immunohistochemistry when available, and clinical data were reviewed. Results: The aspirated material showed malignant (n = 24), benign (n = 19), atypical (n = 3), carcinoid tumor (n = 1), and nondiagnostic conditions (n = 2). The past medical history of 36 cases was significant for carcinomas. The primary site of the tumors included colorectal, urinary bladder, prostate, pancreas, gallbladder, ovary, and female lower genital tract. Statistical analysis for endoscopic ultrasonography FNA showed 87% sensitivity, 100% specificity, diagnostic accuracy of 90%, and a positive predictive value of 100% and a negative predictive value of 77%. Conclusion: ERUS-FNA can be utilized for: (1) accurate staging of colorectal adenocarcinomas by evaluation of nodal metastasis, depth of transmural tumor invasion and local tumor spread to perirectal fat, (2) prevention of aggressive surgical intervention in benign conditions, (3) providing diagnostic material for ancillary studies, and (4) evaluation of perirectal lesions with a more accurate method by combining imaging and histology.

Detection of PIK3CA mutations, including a novel mutation of V344G in exon 4, in metastatic lung adenocarcinomas: A retrospective study of 115 FNA cases.

Phosphatidylinositol‐4,5‐bisphosphate 3‐kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) mutations and amplification are detected in 1% of primary lung adenocarcinomas (ADCs) and in 38% of primary lung squamous cell carcinomas. Alterations of PIK3CA in metastatic non–small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), however, are still not fully understood. This study investigated PIK3CA alterations in metastatic ADCs and correlated the findings with those for other commonly tested molecular abnormalities via fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) and small‐core biopsy materials.

In Memoriam – A Tribute to Raj Kumar Gupta

the Niagara Regional Hospitals and affiliate laboratories from 1967 to 1979 (Canada). From 1979 to 1981, he served as Professor of Pathology at the National University of Singapore Faculty of Medicine and its affiliate University Hospitals. Dr. Gupta moved to Wellington, New Zealand, in 1981. There he served as Senior Consultant Cytopathologist and Head of the Cytology Unit to the Wellington Regional Hospital and School of Medicine, where he was consulted on literally thousands of cases until his retirement in December 2003. He continued to serve as SeOn September 25, 2012, Dr. Raj Kumar Gupta died in Wellington, New Zealand. He served a distinguished career in the medical profession spanning over 50 years and was a recognized international authority in cytopathology, where he contributed towards the increased understanding of this complex medical area. He was a Fellow of the College of American Pathologists (1971), Fellow of the International Academy of Cytology (1977), Diplomate of the International Board of Cytopathology (1980), Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Canada 1979), and Affiliate of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australia. Born in India in 1932, he earned his MBBS at Agra University in 1957. He also completed his thesis for his MD at Vikram University, India, in 1960. Dr. Gupta served in the Medical College Hospital in Gwalior between 1957 and 1958 and then as Senior Lecturer in Pathology at MA Medical College, New Delhi, between 1960 and 1961. He emigrated to North America in 1962, where he trained in pathology at the Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School-affiliated training program at Worcestor Memorial Hospital and served as Senior Resident in Anatomic Pathology (1964). He completed his postgraduate study in cytopathology at the Postgraduate Institute of Cytology at Johns Hopkins University (1972). From 1965 to 1979, Dr. Gupta served as Associate Professor of Pathology at the State University of New York School of Medicine and its affiliate University Hospitals in Buffalo, New York, and as Consultant Pathologist to Published online: December 6, 2012