Cytologic analysis of vitreous fluids: A retrospective review of our 24 years of experience.

BACKGROUND: Cytologic analysis of vitreous fluid is an important component in diagnosis of vitreitis. No standard reporting guidelines exist for these specimens. This study chronicles our 24 years experience and proposes a tentative diagnostic model. METHODS: Retrospective cytology reports review and database study. Clinical indications, cytologic patterns, ancillary studies performed, and diagnoses were recorded. RESULTS: 176 samples from 160 patients were included and main cytologic patterns are reflected in Table 1. Most fluids were negative for malignancy (88%) and patterns IIB (53%) and IIA (19%) were dominant. The non-diagnostic rate was 7%; atypical and suspicious categories represented <0.5% of fluids tested and only 2% were positive for malignancy (3 intraocular lymphoma and one melanoma). Clinical indications for fluid examination were infection/inflammation (59%), to rule out lymphoma (11%), amyloidosis (3%), melanoma (2%), or to investigate intraocular hemorrhage. Fungal elements were demonstrated in 7 cases. No viral inclusions were appreciated; however, one case was positive for HSV 2 by IHC and 2 were negative by PCR. One case had Gram + cocci. Flow cytometry studies were suboptimal in 6 fluids, negative for an aberrant lymphocyte population in 11, and positive for high grade lymphoma in 3 cases. Atypical, suspicious and positive for melanoma were reported in 3 samples. Amyloid was identified in 1 aspirate. CONCLUSIONS: Cytologic analysis of vitreous fluid is a useful tool. Modern techniques like flow cytometry and PCR testing further expand the diagnostic possibilities. Standardization of diagnostic terminology will aid clinicians caring for patients suffering from ocular disease.

Prevalence of IgG antibodies against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 among healthcare workers in Tennessee during May and June, 2020.

SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was low (<1%) in this large population of healthcare workers (HCWs) across the state of Tennessee (n=11,787) in May-June 2020. Among those with PCR results, 81.5% of PCR and antibody test results were concordant. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was higher among HCWs working in high-community-transmission regions and among younger workers. IMPORTANCE: These results may be seen as a baseline assessment of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among HCWs in the American South during a period of growth, but not yet saturation, of infections among susceptible populations. In fact, this period of May-June 2020 was marked by the extension of renewed and sustained community-wide transmission after mandatory quarantine periods expired in several more populous regions of Tennessee. Where community transmission remains low, HCWs may still be able to effectively mitigate SARS-CoV-2 transmission, preserving resources for populations at high risk of severe disease, and these sorts of data help highlight such strategies.

Pleomorphic undifferentiated aortic sarcoma presenting as persistent endoleak after endovascular aneurysm repair.

Sarcomas of the aorta are rare tumors with an unknown incidence and wide variety of clinical presentations. These malignant neoplasms are often manifested in an advanced state and with symptoms of nonmalignant vascular disease owing to a delay in diagnosis. We present the case of a 78-year-old man in whom workup was initially performed for a persistently enlarging abdominal aortic aneurysm after endovascular aortic repair but who was subsequently found to have a pleomorphic undifferentiated sarcoma of the aorta.

p16 immunohistochemistry can be used to detect human papillomavirus in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is of etiologic significance in the development of oral squamous carcinoma and is noted to result in p16 overexpression. Identification of HPV is clinically important because the presence of HPV has prognostic and epidemiologic associations. Detection of HPV by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is expensive and not widely accessible. The authors examined p16 immunohistochemistry (IHC) as a surrogate marker for high-risk HPV and its use as an alternative test to PCR. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma underwent surgery and then analysis with p16 IHC and HPV PCR. The p16 IHC staining intensity was graded from 0 to 3+, and these results were compared with PCR. Descriptive and frequency statistics were performed by comparing HPV PCR results with p16 IHC, patient age, gender, and outcome. RESULTS: Eighty-one cases were included in the study. Forty-four study patients were men and 37 were women (mean age, 63.9 yr). Forty-five cases (55.6%) had 0 staining, 22 cases (27.2%) had 1+ staining, and 7 cases (8.6%) had 2+ staining. Seven cases (8.6%) had 3+ staining, all of which were positive for HPV serotype 16 by PCR. Three of 7 HPV PCR-positive cases had keratinization typical of an oral cavity location and not the basaloid growth of HPV oropharyngeal tumors. There was a statistical correlation (P < .001) among HPV PCR positivity, 3+ staining, and younger age. CONCLUSION: p16 3+ staining correlates with HPV PCR positivity. p16 IHC is a technically simple and widely available test, and this study establishes the use of p16 IHC as an alternative test to HPV PCR. Given the clinical significance of HPV in oral squamous carcinoma, p16 IHC should be performed in all cases and included in the pathology report.

Primary subretinal abscess caused by acanthamoeba: clinical and pathologic case report and review of the literature.

PURPOSE: To report the clinical and pathologic findings in a patient with a primary Acanthamoeba subretinal abscess. METHODS: A healthy 40-year-old man was evaluated and treated for a subretinal abscess. A subretinal aspirate was evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin stains and polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Results of the histologic examination of the subretinal aspirate demonstrated numerous Acanthamoeba cysts. The diagnosis was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. The infection was treated with local and systemic antimicrobials. The visual acuity remained stable, and there was no local or systemic spread of the infection. CONCLUSION: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first biopsy-proven case of primary subretinal abscess because of Acanthamoeba. Acanthamoeba should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a subretinal abscess, even in the absence of systemic or corneal symptoms. Aggressive treatment can prevent serious ocular and systemic complications.

Quantifying the extent of invasive carcinoma and margin status in partial mastectomy cases having a gross lesion: is a defined tissue processing protocol needed?

Accurate estimation of disease extent and margin status is critical when evaluating partial mastectomy cases because both are predictors of recurrence. No published standards exist for processing specimens involved by invasive carcinoma, presumably because such cases have a gross lesion. We retrospectively studied 100 partial mastectomy cases and concluded that a standardized tissue mapping protocol is needed to ensure adequate pathologic examination even when a gross lesion is present. When mapped and unmapped findings were compared, 17 cases (10 with ductal and 7 with lobular carcinoma) had an increase in carcinoma size, 12 cases (9 with ductal and 3 with lobular carcinoma) had an increase in pathologic T stage, and positive margins were found in 8 cases (7 with ductal and 1 with lobular carcinoma). We describe our tissue-mapping protocol, and advocate its use as a standardized protocol for processing all partial mastectomy specimens.

Evaluation of thyroid fine-needle aspirations: can ThinPrep be used exclusively to appropriately triage patients having a thyroid nodule?

Thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) represents an ideal management tool for thyroid nodules. ThinPrep is routinely used in preparation of a variety of nongynecologic cytology specimens, including FNA. The authors investigated ThinPrep to determine if its diagnostic accuracy is sufficient to triage patients presenting with a thyroid nodule. ThinPrep (TP) slides from four separate study categories were reviewed in a blind fashion. Twenty-five cases of papillary carcinoma, follicular lesion, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and multinodular goiter were examined retrospectively. Diagnostic accuracy of TP for each diagnostic category was determined relative to the final FNA diagnosis. Of 100 total study cases, 46 (46%) had noncorrelation. Twenty five (25%) of the study cases had noncorrelation as a result of insufficient cellularity. The diagnostic accuracy of TP for papillary carcinoma was 64%, for follicular lesion 24%, for Hashimoto's thyroiditis 72% and for multinodular goiter 56%. Cytologic features of papillary carcinoma, Hashimoto's thryoiditis, and multinodular goiter are preserved in TP slides. Cytologic features of follicular lesion are less predictable in TP slides. When all cases of noncorrelation were examined, we concluded that insufficient or marginal cellularity most often accounts for the discrepancy between TP and CS diagnoses in each study category. If techniques can be established to improve cellularity of TP slides, particularly in follicular lesions, we believe that sufficient diagnostic accuracy can be achieved to result in appropriate patient triage. Additional studies exploring methods to improve TP cellularity are needed before TP can be used as the sole diagnostic test for thyroid FNA.

Clinical integration of picture archiving and communication systems with pathology and hospital information system in oncology.

The complexity of our current healthcare delivery system has become an impediment to communication among caregivers resulting in fragmentation of patient care. To address these issues, many hospitals are implementing processes to facilitate clinical integration in an effort to improve patient care and safety. Clinical informatics, including image storage in a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), represents a tool whereby clinical integration can be accomplished. In this study, we obtained intraoperative photographs of 19 cases to document clinical stage, extent of disease, disease recurrence, reconstruction/grafting, intraoperative findings not identified by preoperative imaging, and site verification as part of the Universal Protocol. Photographs from all cases were stored and viewed in PACS. Images from many of the cases were presented at our interdepartmental cancer conferences. The stored images improved communication among caregivers and preserved pertinent intraoperative findings in the patients' electronic medical record. In the future, pathology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, dermatology, and cardiology are just a few other subspecialties which could accomplish image storage in PACS. Multidisciplinary image storage in a PACS epitomizes the concept of clinical integration and its goal of improving patient care.

Positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (PET/CT) scanning for preoperative staging of patients with oral/head and neck cancer.

PURPOSE: To investigate the role of 18-fluorine-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computerized tomography ((18)F-FDG PET/CT) in the preoperative prediction of the presence and extent of neck disease in patients with oral/head and neck cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy patients were enrolled in the study, 47 of whom had a clinically negative neck (N0), 19 of whom had a clinically positive unilateral neck (N+), and 4 of whom were negative on 1 side of the neck and positive on the other. Each patient underwent a PET/CT study before undergoing selective neck dissection for N0 disease or modified radical neck dissection for N+ disease. Tissues were submitted for histopathologic examination and were oriented for the pathologist as to the oncologic levels so as to permit correlation between histopathologic findings and the imaging results. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of the PET/CT procedure were 79% and 82% for the N0 neck, and 95% and 25% for the N+ neck. One hundred ninety-two (11.4%) of the 1,678 nodes identified at histopathology were positive for metastases. The overall nodal sensitivity and specificity were 48% and 99%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In patients with clinically negative necks, a negative test would not help the surgeon in the management strategy of the patient because of the rate of false-negative results, but a positive test can diagnose metastatic deposits with a high positive predictive value. In patients with clinically positive necks, a positive test will confirm the presence of disease, although false-negative lymph nodes were additionally identified in these clinically positive necks. With respect to nodes, the sensitivity of the imaging procedure is such that the results could not help the surgeon in deciding which level to dissect and which to spare. In the final analysis, the head and neck oncologic surgeon should not depend on the results of the PET/CT scan to determine which patients will benefit from neck dissection. Rather, time-honored principles of neck surgery should be followed, particularly with regard to the liberal execution of prophylactic neck dissections in patients with clinically N0 necks.

Fine needle aspiration cytologic findings of micropapillary carcinoma in the lung: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Micropapillary carcinoma is a variant of adenocarcinoma described in many anatomic sites and most recently in the lung. The cytologic recognition of this distinct pathologic entity in transthoracic needle aspiration specimens is important in providing prognostic information and therapeutic guidance. CASE: A 58-year-old woman presented with a < 1-cm lesion in the left breast identified on screening mammogram. A core biopsy of this lesion revealed an estrogen and progesterone receptor positive tubular carcinoma. Before a hookwire localization biopsy, a chest x-ray revealed a 1.7-cm spiculated mass in the right lower lobe. The diagnosis of adenocarcinoma with micropapillary features was made by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). The lobectomy specimen showed a combination of adenocarcinoma, papillary adenocarcinoma and micropapillary carcinoma. CONCLUSION: Micropapillary carcinoma is a unique variant of adenocarcinoma, having important clinical associations because of its propensity for angiolymphatic invasion and higher stage at disease presentation. This case demonstrates the cytomorphologic characteristics of micropapillary carcinoma in a transthoracic FNA of the lung.

Cytologic findings in Demodex folliculitis: a case report and review of the literature.

Infectious folliculitis of the head and neck has various etiologies, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Accurate morphologic recognition of microorganisms in biopsy and cytologic specimens is paramount in facilitating appropriate therapy. We report a case of a 37-yr-old white male with Demodex folliculitis, who presented with an extensive and painful erythematous pustular skin lesion along the right face and scalp in a dermatome pattern clinically suggestive of Varicella zoster. Examination of scraped smears obtained from one of these pustules revealed numerous parasitic organisms having morphologic features typical of Demodex. Herein, we describe the patient's clinical presentation, discuss the cytologic findings of scrape smears, and briefly review the literature.

Atypical squamous cells, cannot exclude a high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion: the practice experience of a hospital-based reference laboratory with this new Bethesda system diagnostic category.

The 2001 Bethesda System diagnostic category of atypical squamous cells cannot exclude a high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (ASC-H) was developed and implemented after many studies that proved its clinical relevance. In this study, we describe the practice experience of a hospital-based reference laboratory with this new diagnostic category. The anatomic pathology computer database was searched, and 414 Papanicolaou (Pap) smears signed out as ASC-H were discovered among 60,390 Pap smear accessions over a 17-month period of time. One hundred four cases had corresponding tissue specimens. Slides from all Pap smears and tissue specimens were reviewed, and five Pap smears were reclassified, leaving 99 study cases. In our laboratory, 88.9% of the study cases had either low or high grade dysplasia diagnosed on subsequent tissue specimens. The positive predictive value of ASC-H for histologically proven high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL's) was 40.4%. Of those having human papillomavirus (HPV) hybrid capture II testing, high-risk HPV types were detected in 73.9% of cases. The majority of study cases had less than 25 atypical cells. In two hysterectomy cases and three loop electrosurgical excession procedure (LEEP) conization cases, high-grade dysplasia was present as a single microscopic focus, suggesting that the paucity of atypical cells in ASC-H Pap smears may be secondary to small lesion sampling. Thirteen study patients were postmenopausal and 30.8% had low-grade dysplasia, and of these, 46.2% had high-grade dysplasia on subsequent tissue specimens. In conclusion, our practice experience with ASC-H is similar to that reported in the literature before the 2001 Bethesda System.