Relationship between transmission/reception conditions of high-frequency plane wave compounding and evaluation accuracy of extended amplitude envelope statistics.

The double-Nakagami (DN) model provides a method for analyzing the amplitude envelope statistics of quantitative ultrasound (QUS). In this study, the relationship between the sound field characteristics and the robustness of QUS evaluation was evaluated using five HF linear array probes and tissue-mimicking phantoms. Compound plane-wave imaging (CPWI) was used to acquire echo data. Five phantoms containing two types of scatterers were used to mimic fatty liver tissue. After clarifying the relationship between the sound field characteristics of the probes and QUS parameters, DN QUS parameters in 10 rat livers with different lipidification were evaluated using one HF linear array probe. For both phantom and in situ liver analyses, correlations between fat content and multiple QUS parameters were confirmed, suggesting that the combination of CPWI using a HF linear array probe with the DN model is a robust method for quantifying fatty liver and has potential clinical diagnostic applications.

Similarity and difference in the characteristics of eosinophilic esophagitis between Western countries and Japan.

Over the past two decades, the incidence and prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) have risen rapidly, especially in Western countries, with cases in Japan also showing a gradual increase in recent years. However, similarities and differences regarding the characteristics of EoE between Western countries and Japan remain to be clearly elucidated. The current clinical guidelines for diagnosis include symptoms related to esophageal dysfunction and dense eosinophilic infiltration in the esophageal epithelium. Most affected patients in Japan are diagnosed incidentally during a medical health check-up and asymptomatic cases with typical endoscopic findings suggestive of EoE are frequently encountered. Clinical characteristics of EoE in Japanese are similar to those seen in Western populations. The predominant symptom is dysphagia, with food impaction extremely rare in Japanese cases. Linear furrows are the most frequently reported characteristic endoscopic finding, while an esophageal stricture or narrow caliber is rarely observed. Treatment strategies for EoE include drugs, dietary restrictions, and endoscopic dilation when the disease is advanced with stricture formation. Although single therapy using a proton-pump inhibitor has been shown to achieve symptomatic and histological response in the majority of patients in Japan, no prospective randomized control studies that evaluated drug or elimination diet therapy have been presented. Overall, EoE has similar clinical characteristics between Japanese and Western populations, while disease severity seems to be milder in Japan. Additional studies are necessary to determine genetic factors, natural history of the disease, and treatment efficacy of drugs and elimination diet as compared to Western populations.

Immunohistochemical expression of filaggrin is decreased in proton pump inhibitor non-responders compared with proton pump inhibitor responders of eosinophilic esophagitis.

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an allergic gastrointestinal disease that features eosinophilic infiltration of esophageal mucosa, but the role of barrier dysfunction of the epithelium in its pathogenesis remains to be elucidated. Clinically, EoE is divided into proton pump inhibitor-non-responders (PPI-NR) and PPI-responders (PPI-R). Our main aims were to investigate the differences of expression of epidermal differential complex (EDC) proteins and desmoglein that are considered to play important roles in formation of the epidermal skin barrier between these two conditions and to seek the usefulness of the differences in pathological diagnosis. Conventional histopathological findings and allergic background were also compared. METHODS: Twenty-nine PPI-NR and 44 PPI-R were recruited, and 35 reflux esophagitis patients were also enrolled. After clinical information and histopathological findings were reviewed, immunohistochemical expression of EDC proteins (filaggrin, loricrin, and involucrin) and desmoglein in all three groups were examined and semi-quantitatively scored. RESULTS: Regarding allergic conditions, the prevalence of asthma was significantly higher in PPI-NR than in PPI-R. Other allergic conditions showed no differences. Histopathological findings did not exhibit the statistical difference between PPI-NR and PPI-R. However, immunostaining score of filaggrin in PPI-NR was significantly lower than in PPI-R, although the expressions of involucrin, loricrin and desmoglein demonstrated no differences. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest a role of reduced filaggrin expression in the difference of effectiveness of PPI treatment between PPI-NR and PPI-R. Moreover, immunohistochemical determination of filaggrin expression in EoE patients could be informative in the clinical decision of how to treat the patients.

Is Asymptomatic Esophageal Eosinophilia the Same Disease Entity as Eosinophilic Esophagitis?

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an allergic inflammatory disorder that is characterized clinically by symptoms related to esophageal dysfunction and histologically by eosinophil-predominant inflammation.1,2 Its prevalence has been increasing rapidly in both Western and Asian countries. In Japan, most of the cases of esophageal eosinophilia (EE) are found in an upper endoscopy examination for gastric cancer screening performed during a comprehensive health check-up.3,4 Indeed, we frequently encounter patients with asymptomatic EE showing typical endoscopic findings, such as linear furrows, as well as histologic findings compatible with EoE. However, the current clinical guidelines for EoE diagnosis include symptoms related to esophageal dysfunction, thus patients without symptoms do not fulfill the diagnostic criteria.1,2 The clinical characteristics remain to be fully elucidated,5 thus we aimed to clarify clinical features of asymptomatic EE as compared with those of EoE.

Endoscopic findings of cardiac lymphoid hyperplasia and Helicobacter pylori infection status.

Objective: Lymphoid hyperplasia is endoscopically observed as multiple small whitish round nodules or spots. This retrospective study was performed to examine the prevalence of that finding in patients with Barrett's epithelium and its relationship with the status of H. pylori infection. Methods: The study subjects were 3353 patients (males 2186, females 1167; mean age 55.2 ± 9.4 years) in whom the status of H. pylori infection had been determined. The presence of Barrett's epithelium ≥ 5 mm in length was endoscopically determined, and then endoscopic observations with blue laser imaging were used to investigate the presence of lymphoid hyperplasia in those areas. Results: Barrett's epithelium was diagnosed in 1884 (56.2%) of the subjects, and endoscopic findings of lymphoid hyperplasia were observed in 402 (21.3%) of those with Barrett's epithelium. Lymphoid hyperplasia in Barrett's epithelium was not present in any without a current or prior H. pylori infection, while the prevalence of lymphoid hyperplasia in H. pylori-positive and post-eradicated subjects was 48.4% and 30.4%, respectively (p < 0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that female gender, younger age, and higher degree of gastric mucosal atrophy were significant factors related to lymphoid hyperplasia positivity. In addition, the duration after H. pylori eradication was negatively correlated with its prevalence. Conclusion: Endoscopic findings of cardiac lymphoid hyperplasia were well correlated with H. pylori infection, although prevalence decreased over time following bacterial eradication.

A case of cellular variants of Sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma resembling Plasmacytoma/Myeloma: Diagnostic difficulty in the fine needle aspiration.

INTRODUCTION: Sclerosing epithelioid sarcoma (SEF) is a rare fibroblastic sarcoma. It is classically composed of cords of epithelioid cells embedded in a hyalinized stroma; however, cases of cellular variants also exist. A cellular variants of SEF can mimic Plasmacytoma/Myeloma (PM) and myoepithelioma. Hence, accurate diagnosis of SEF is important for cytologists and pathologists. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We present the case of a 75-year-old female patient diagnosed with a cellular variant of SEF occurring in the erector spinal muscle. Immunostaining of MUC4 and fluorescence in situ hybridization of EWSR1 (break-apart signal) were used for diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The cellular variants of SEF presented diagnostic difficulties in fine needle aspiration. Moreover, it could not be distinguished from PM.

Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor, Localized Type With Extensive Chondroid Metaplasia: A Case Report With Immunohistochemical and Molecular Genetic Analysis.

Tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TSGCT) of localized type is a common disease occurring mostly in the hands. Diagnosis of this tumor is relatively easy to render with hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections as compared with that of TSGCT of diffuse type. However, very rare cases with chondroid metaplasia that have recently been reported mainly in diffuse type can make pathological differentiation from soft tissue cartilaginous tumors extremely difficult. In this article, the authors present the second reported case of TSGCT of localized type showing extensive chondroid metaplasia. Pathological interpretation was difficult without utilizing immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization. One must be careful not to misdiagnose this lesion as cartilaginous tumors of soft tissue, and we suspect at least some chondroblastoma-like chondroma could be reclassified as TSGCT of localized type with extensive chondroid metaplasia. Morphological, immunohistochemical, and molecular genetic characteristics are presented and discussed.

A case report of unilocular cystic mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma with mural tumor nodule.

Mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma (MTSCC) is a rare type of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Classic type of MTSCC is characterized by small, elongated tubules lined by clear cuboidal or spindle cells with mucinous stroma. The neoplastic cells are always low-grade histological features. But, unclassified variants of MTSCC have also been reported, e.g., mucin-poor, papillary, high grade, and sarcomatoid variants. We present the first case of simple cyst with mural nodule exhibiting the histological features of mucin-poor MTSCC. We should be aware that MTSCC can arise in a cystic renal lesion.

Xp11.2 translocation renal cell carcinoma with SFPQ/PSF-TFE3 fusion gene: A case report with unusual histopathologic findings.

Xp11.2 translocation renal cell carcinoma (Xp11tRCC) is a subtype of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) characterized by chromosomal rearrangement of the region harboring the transcription factor for immunoglobulin heavy-chain enhancer 3 (TFE3). Xp11tRCCs comprises 20% to 40% of RCCs of children and adolescents and is generally associated with good prognosis. However in adult, the incidence of this tumor is relatively low (1% to 4%), suggesting a more aggressive course. TFE3 gene is fused by translocation to numerous partner genes, and definitive molecular characteristics can be difficult to verify. In this case report, we presented a case of Xp11tRCC with the SFPQ/PSF-TFE3 chimeric gene. The fusion gene was detected by 5'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5'RACE). The tumor was found to be in an advanced stage with multiple lymph node metastases. The histological characteristics of the tumor were different from those of XP11tRCC with other more frequently detected fusion genes.