A screening study of thyroid cancer and other thyroid diseases among individuals exposed in utero to iodine-131 from Chernobyl fallout.

BACKGROUND: Like stable iodine, radioiodines concentrate in the thyroid gland, increasing thyroid cancer risk in exposed children. Data on exposure to the embryonic/fetal thyroid are rare, raising questions about use of iodine 131 (I-131) in pregnant women. We present here estimated risks of thyroid disease from exposure in utero to I-131 fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear accident. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional thyroid screening study (palpation, ultrasound, thyroid hormones, and, if indicated, fine needle aspiration) from 2003 to 2006. Participants were 2582 mother-child pairs from Ukraine in which the mother had been pregnant at the time of the accident on April 26, 1986, or 2 months after the time during which I-131 fallout was still present (1494 from contaminated areas, 1088 in the comparison group). Individual cumulative in utero thyroid dose estimates were derived from estimated I-131 activity in the mother's thyroid (mean 72 mGy; range 0-3230 mGy). RESULTS: There were seven cases of thyroid carcinoma and one case of Hurthle cell neoplasm identified as a result of the screening. Whereas the estimated excess odds ratio per gray for thyroid carcinoma was elevated (excess odds ratio per gray 11.66), it was not statistically significant (P = 0.12). No radiation risks were identified for other thyroid diseases. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that in utero exposure to radioiodines may have increased the risk of thyroid carcinoma approximately 20 yr after the Chernobyl accident, supporting a conservative approach to medical uses of I-131 during pregnancy.

Rhabdomyosarcoma presenting as a parotid gland mass in pediatric patients: fine-needle aspiration biopsy findings.

BACKGROUND: The head and neck region is one of the most common locations of rhabdomyosarcoma. Salivary gland involvement is usually secondary to advanced disease, and presentation as a primary salivary gland tumor is very rare. METHODS: Three cases of rhabdomyosarcoma presenting as parotid masses, in 2 boys (ages 3 and 7 years) and a girl (age 5 years), were retrieved from the files of 2 institutions. RESULTS: The three patients presented with parotid gland enlargement. Clinically, the enlargements appeared to be inflammatory, and they were treated unsuccessfully with antibiotics. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) was performed on all three patients. The cytologic features varied from one case to another; one case had features of a small round cell tumor, another was composed of a monomorphic population of spindle cells in a metachromatic stroma, and the third case was composed mostly of spindle cells with moderate cellular pleomorphism. Immunohistochemical studies performed in two of the cases confirmed the diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma, and ultrastructural studies were confirmatory in the other case. The patients are alive; 2 of them have had no evidence of disease after 6 and 9 years of follow-up, and the third, the most recent patient, has just finished adjuvant chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: With the increased use of FNAB for the evaluation of salivary gland masses in children, the authors believe that it is important to recognize the occurrence of rhabdomyosarcoma in this location. Immunohistochemical studies have proved helpful in differentiating rhabdomyosarcoma from other parotid gland tumors and can be readily done on cytologic preparations.

Additional mimics of mucinous mammary carcinoma: fibroepithelial lesions.

To determine the origin and nature of mucinlike material in fine-needle aspiration (FNA) smears of the breast in noncancerous breast lesions, we studied breast FNA smears from four patients. All smears contained epithelial cells floating in a mucinlike background, which raised suspicion for mucinous (colloid) carcinoma. Mucicarmine stain was performed on one smear from each case. Subsequent tissue biopsy specimens were studied using mucicarmine, periodic acid-Schiff with and without diastase, and alcian blue stains at pH 2.7 and 0.9 on selected tissue sections. Correlation of the cytologic and histologic findings of each lesion was performed. The mucinlike background in all four FNA smears stained strongly with mucicarmine. Corresponding biopsy specimens revealed pseudoangiomatous hyperplasia in the first case, fibroadenoma and atypical ductal hyperplasia in the second, benign phyllodes tumor in the third, and fibroadenoma in the fourth. Each lesion in cases 1 to 3 was associated closely with fibrocystic changes. In case 4, cystic changes were located within the fibroadenoma. On tissue sections of all four cases, the cyst contents and 10% to 50% of normal lobule and duct contents stained with mucicarmine, indicating that the cyst contents were the most probable source of mucin in the FNA smears. The presence of pools of mucicarmine-positive material in FNA smears of the breast is not an exclusive feature of mucinous carcinoma; mucicarmine-positive mucin can arise from benign cystic changes as well as from normal lobules and ducts.

Evaluation of esophageal cytology using a neural net-based interactive scanning system (the PAPNET system): its possible role in screening for esophageal and gastric carcinoma.

A neural net-based, semiautomated, interactive computerized cell analysis system (The PAPNET system, Neuromedical Systems, Suffern, NY) was used to examine cells from 138 esophageal smears obtained by lavage, brushings, or balloon from as many patients. From each smear, trained human observers examined 128 cell images selected by the machine. Abnormal cells were identified in all 35 patients with cancer, whether esophageal, gastric, oral, or metastatic. Further, in 11 smears, the displayed images allowed the recognition of effects of radiotherapy and, in 14 smears, the diagnosis of a specific tumor type, such as squamous cell carcinoma (8 patients) or adenocarcinoma (6 patients). In 3 additional cases, the diagnosis of "carcinoma, not further specified," was established. One case of esophageal carcinoma in situ, not previously recognized on a smear or in the biopsy specimen, and one case of gastric adenocarcinoma, not recognized in the smear, were identified in PAPNET-generated images. The possible application of the apparatus to the triage of smears and population screening for esophageal and gastric carcinoma precursors is discussed.

Late fatal adenovirus pneumonitis in a lung transplant recipient.

Adenovirus (ADV) is increasingly recognized as a cause of morbidity and mortality in transplant recipients, but ADV pneumonitis has rarely been reported after lung transplantation. The few reported instances of ADV pneumonitis occurred mostly in children immediately after lung transplantation suggesting "primary" infection. We report a fatal case of ADV pneumonitis occurring in an adult, 4 years after unilateral lung transplantation, in whom the premortem diagnosis was not determined. Autopsy revealed severe necrotizing bronchitis, bronchiolitis, and interstitial pneumonitis. Characteristic smudgy intranuclear inclusions, immunohistochemistry for viral protein, in situ hybridization for viral genome, and postmortem lung cultures established ADV as the etiologic agent. ADV can cause fatal, occult respiratory infection in adult lung transplant recipients, remote from transplant surgery.

CA-125 and carcinoembryonic antigen assay vs. cytodiagnostic experience in the classification of benign ovarian cysts.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the relative strengths of two factors involved in making an accurate differentiation between functional and epithelial ovarian cysts, along with their combination: (1) the cytologist's level of experience in interpreting ovarian cytology, (2) the use of the tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA-125 in cyst fluid, and (3) a combination of (1) and (2). STUDY DESIGN: Papanicolaou-stained sediments from fluid aspirated from 31 resected ovarian cysts (6 functional and 25 epithelial) were blindly and independently evaluated by five pathologists with varying experience in ovarian cytology. Cyst fluid supernatant was used for CEA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and CA-125 radioimmunoassay; CEA levels > 5 ng/mL or CA-125 > 5,000 U/mL were considered elevated. Cysts were categorized cytologically and histologically as functional or epithelial and by tumor markers as "neither elevated" or "either or both elevated" (EBE). RESULTS: The agreement of histologic diagnosis with each pathologist's cytologic diagnosis ranged from 53% to 84% (53%, 71%, 83%, 82%, 84%), corresponding to increasing level of experience. The percentage of agreement with EBE was 77%, whereas combined experienced pathologist's diagnosis and EBE was 87%. Kappa equaled .45 for experienced cytopathologist's diagnosis or EBE alone. Kappa equaled .53 when the pathologist or EBE diagnosed an epithelial cyst, indicating results unlikely to occur by chance. CONCLUSION: The distinction of functional from epithelial ovarian cysts is best achieved by combining measurement of the tumor markers CEA and CA-125 with a high level of cytopathology experience.

Clear nuclei of papillary thyroid carcinoma conspicuous in fine-needle aspiration and intraoperative smears processed by ultrafast papanicolaou stain.

The Orphan Annie-eyed clear nucleus, defined as a large, optically clear nucleus, devoid of chromatin strands, with sharp chromatin rim, is a more specific feature than are nuclear grooves or intranuclear cytoplasmic inclusions in papillary thyroid carcinoma. In addition, this characteristic nuclear feature is detectable at low magnification. Although these clear nuclei are routinely seen in paraffin sections, they are inconspicuously seen in conventionally processed touch-imprints and fine-needle aspiration (FNA) smears. Among our two institutions, there have been 148 thyroid cases processed by Ultrafast Papanicolaou stain (UFP), including 43 papillary carcinomas, 38 cellular follicular lesions, and 67 cases of nodular hyperplasia. We observed clear nuclei in all of the cases of UFP-processed FNA and intraoperative smears of papillary carcinoma but not of other thyroid lesions. The clear nuclei are most evident in tumor cells with direct contact to the glass slide and are not seen in tumor cells soaked in cystic fluid. UFP is a valuable way to detect Orphan Annie-eyed clear nuclei of papillary thyroid carcinoma early in the diagnostic evaluation, either at immediate on-site evaluation of FNA or at intraoperative consultation and before the availability of permanent sections.

Fine-needle aspiration diagnosis of enterogenous cyst of the orbit: a case report.

Enterogenous cyst is a benign lesion derived from misplaced endodermal epithelium. We report the aspiration cytology findings of an orbital cyst from a 32-year-old woman. The smears contain benign-appearing cuboidal glandular cells with focal mucinous features. Carcinoembryonic antigen level in the cyst fluid was markedly elevated. These findings are consistent with recurrence of the enterogenous cyst initially diagnosed 7 years earlier.

Biliary stent replacement cytology.

Using fluoroscopic guidance, polyethylene biliary stents are replaced endoscopically or percutaneously when bile duct stenosis recurs. To improve the sensitivity of conventional biliary cytology, we examined cells recovered from removed stents. Biliary stents removed endoscopically from each of 11 patients were rinsed with saline; next, the rinse was centrifuged and the sediment smeared and Papanicolaou stained. Three patients with choledocholithiasis had biliary stent replacement cytology (BSRC) to exclude a neoplastic etiology. Eight patients with clinicoradiologic evidence of hepatobiliary or pancreatic carcinoma had BSRCs performed for pathologic documentation of carcinoma. BSRC from six of eight patients with clinicoradiologically malignant biliary strictures contained malignant cells, predominantly in loose clusters, but also singly (sensitivity 75%, specificity 100%; positive predictive value 75%, negative predicative value 60%). Reparative epithelial atypia was also present in all cases. BSRC from two patients with clinicoradiological evidence of carcinoma of the biliary region and from three with choledocholithiasis contained only bile pigment, leukocytes, and benign epithelial cells. The sampling of cells which have accumulated on, or in biliary stents, improves the sensitivity of biliary cytology. This is most applicable when 1) a patient is inoperable, 2) tissue biopsy is neither feasible nor diagnostic, 3) prior brush, suction, percutaneous, or endoscopic needle aspiration cytology is inconclusive, and 4) permanent metal stent is needed.

Open neural tube defects: immunocytochemical demonstration of neuroepithelial cells in amniotic fluid.

Cytologic evaluation of second trimester amniotic fluid (AF) is a rapid, inexpensive adjunct to prenatal diagnosis of open neural tube defects (ONTDs). Our goal was to determine whether the neural-appearing cells and/or large foamy macrophages in the AF of anencephalics are indeed of neural and/or glial origin. In two second trimester patients with elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and polyhydramnios, fetal sonogram studies showed anencephaly; amniocentesis was performed for AF-AFP, cytogenetic, and cytologic studies. AF sediment smears were initially Papanicolaou-stained; next, the same smears were immunoperoxidase (IP)-stained for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). If GFAP negative, slides were restained for synaptophysin (SYN) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE). Both AFs contained small neural-appearing cells (5-10 microns) singly and in clusters, with dense, round, homogeneous nuclei, an occasional nucleolus, and scant cytoplasmic rim. These were GFAP negative and SYN and NSE positive; the large vacuolated, lipid-laden macrophages (20-40 microns) were negative for all three IP stains. In conclusion, positive IP staining for SYN and NSE supports the morphologic impression that small dark cells in AF are of neural origin, while negative IP staining of large foamy macrophages suggests nonneural, nonglial origin.

Malignant granular cell tumor: a case report and review of the recent literature.

We report a case of an extremely rare neoplasm, malignant granular cell tumor (MGCT). The tumor occurred in the infratemporal fossa of a 30-year-old man, extended to the left orbital base, into the foramen ovale, and invaded the mandible. A granular cell tumor (GCT) was diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration and core needle biopsy of the mass. The patient underwent a radical subtotal debulking procedure followed by radiotherapy. He is alive with recurrent disease 12 months after presentation. Cytologically, the aspirated material was abundantly cellular showing large polygonal cells with ample granular eosinophilic cytoplasm, eccentric nuclei, and often prominent nucleoli. Histologically, the tumor consisted of solid sheets of similar cells that stained strongly with S-100 protein, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and vimentin. There was moderate nuclear pleomorphism and broad zones of necrosis. Four mitotic figures per 100 high-power field (HPF) were counted. By electron microscopy, the cytoplasm of the tumor cells was filled with lysosomes. Although, some observers advocate that the diagnosis of a MGCT should be reserved for cases in which lymph node and/or distant organ metastasis is evident, we believe malignancy ought to be considered in any GCT with aggressive clinical course defined by persistent local recurrence and destruction of neighboring structures. Nuclear pleomorphism, necrosis, and presence of any mitotic activity should indicate malignancy.

Exencephaly-anencephaly sequence: proof by ultrasound imaging and amniotic fluid cytology.

We present and discuss major current theories about the developmental natural history of the anencephalic human fetus. We confirm previous observations made using transvaginal ultrasonography of exencephalic fetuses which were later imaged and/or delivered as anencephalic fetuses. We explore the possibility of proving the theory of the slowly rubbed-off exposed brain tissue by cytologic examination and special staining of aspirated cells in amniotic fluid. Three fetuses with a typical sonographic picture of exencephaly at 13-15 postmenstrual weeks underwent amniocentesis. The aspirated fluid contained pathognomonic neural cells. The same fetuses later showed the characteristic sonographic and postabortion picture of anencephaly. Our results support the theory that exencephaly is the forerunner of anencephaly.

Treatment for breast cancer and blood levels of chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Small studies have examined, with conflicting results, whether breast cancer risk is increased among women exposed to high levels of chlorinated hydrocarbons, as measured in breast fat tissue or peripheral blood collected prior to treatment (pretreatment blood). For a population-based, case-control study, collection of pretreatment blood is a labor-intensive effort. An alternative is to collect blood from cases at interview, as is done for controls, after breast cancer treatment has commenced (posttreatment blood). It is unknown whether treatment affects blood levels of the organochlorines 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDE) or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The purpose of this study was to determine whether pretreatment versus posttreatment blood samples yielded significantly different estimates of cumulative exposure to DDE and PCBs among newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. Two-ml blood samples were collected prior to and after treatment for breast cancer from 22 nonfasting women, ages 45-87 years, newly diagnosed with invasive disease. Treatment was defined as major surgery (mastectomy or node removal), radiation, hormones (tamoxifen), or chemotherapy. Pretreatment and posttreatment blood samples were assayed for DDE and PCBs in blinded, matched pairs. The reported concentrations (volume basis) were adjusted for estimated total plasma lipids. For DDE, mean differences in unadjusted [0.99 ng/ml; 95% confidence interval (CI), -0.36 to 2.34 ng/ml] and lipid-adjusted (0.05 microgram/g lipid; 95% CI, -0.04 to 0.13 microgram/g lipid) levels were small. For PCBs, the unadjusted (0.68 ng/ml; 95% CI, 0.05 to 1.30 ng/ml) and adjusted (0.070 microgram/g lipid; 95% CI, -0.009 to 0.149 microgram/g lipid) mean differences were of borderline statistical significance. The mean percent change in lipid-adjusted organochlorine levels did not vary substantially between treatment groups, except for those patients receiving chemotherapy [n = 5; 15.8% (DDE), 29.4% (PCBs)]. Adjusted mean differences also increased with increasing time between the pretreatment and posttreatment blood draws. In multiple regression models that included treatment, age, race, stage, and time between blood draws, only chemotherapy appeared to predict the percent change in adjusted pretreatment and posttreatment levels of DDE or PCBs (P = 0.10 and 0.06, respectively). Posttreatment blood samples drawn within 3 months of pretreatment samples, with the exception of those drawn after the commencement of chemotherapy, provide similar measures of DDE body burden levels among breast cancer cases. The use of blood samples collected after treatment, rather than before treatment, for characterizing PCB levels may lead to misclassification of exposure.

Isolated sigmoid tuberculosis. Report of a case.

PURPOSE: To heighten awareness of colonic tuberculosis (TB) as a once rare disease that is undergoing a resurgence in the United States. METHODS: Report of a case of isolated sigmoid tuberculosis with a brief literature review of the topic. RESULTS: TB can no longer be considered a rare disease in the United States because, in part, of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome epidemic and because, in part, of increased immigration and lack of containment. The signs and symptoms of colonic TB are nonspecific; therefore, a high index of suspicion must be maintained. Only 20 percent of patients will have associated active pulmonary TB. Colonoscopy with multiple biopsies at ulcer margins should be performed for diagnosis. Tissue should be sent for routine histology and culture and smeared for direct visualization of acid-fast bacilli. If colonic TB is suspected, empiric treatment is warranted, despite negative histology, smear, and culture results. Patients will usually show a dramatic response in one to two weeks. Treatment is solely medical, and all patients should receive a full course of antituberculous chemotherapy. Exploratory laparotomy is necessary if diagnosis is in doubt, when there is concern about a neoplasm, or for complications including perforation, obstruction, hemorrhage, or fistulization. CONCLUSION: An increased awareness of intestinal TB coupled with familiarity of the pathophysiology, diagnostic methods, and treatment should increase the number of cases correctly diagnosed preoperatively and, therefore, improve the outcome of patients with this disease.

Carbon-laden macrophages in pleural fluid of crack smokers.

Carbon-laden macrophages in bronchoalveolar lavage have been noted to be associated with a history of crack smoking. We report herein the finding of carbon-laden macrophages in four cytological preparations of pleural fluid from two crack smokers. The etiology of the two patients' pleural effusions differed; neither had a bronchopleural fistula. Patient 1 had AIDS, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and Kaposi's sarcoma of the right lung with an associated bilateral pleural effusion. Patient 2 was HIV seropositive, had pulmonary tuberculosis, hepatitis A, B, and C, cardiomyopathy, pulmonary embolism, and bilateral pleural effusions, the latter of which were probably due to cardio-pulmonary dysfunction. An additional two crack smokers with pleural effusions due to malignancy, one primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma and the other metastatic melanoma, did not have carbon-like material in their pleural fluid cytology. We hypothesize that intracellular accumulation of carbonaceous material in the lung parenchyma and pleural space occurs when normal clearance mechanisms are overwhelmed.

Image-directed percutaneous biopsy with large-core needles. Comparison of cytologic and histologic findings.

Large biopsy needles (18 and 19 gauge) have been reported to yield high-quality tissue cores for reliable histologic diagnosis. In our institution, image-directed percutaneous biopsy specimens obtained with these needles are processed routinely for simultaneous cytologic and histologic analysis. For the present study, we reviewed our experience with 82 such biopsies of the thoracoabdominal region. We examined the value of cytologic analysis as a supplement to histologic analysis of such biopsies in terms of diagnostic yield and sensitivity for detecting malignancy. Among the 82 specimens, material was adequate for histologic diagnoses in 70 (85%) and for cytologic diagnosis in 63 (77%). Combining the histologic and cytologic results increased the diagnostic yield to 93% (76 of 82 specimens). Forty-eight lesions were diagnosed as malignant by either one or both means of analysis. While histologic analysis produced 44 of the 48 positive results (92%), cytologic analysis produced 33 (66%) (P < .05, McNemar's test). Because tissue fragments were selected preferentially for histologic processing, histologic evaluation was more valuable than cytologic evaluation in achieving definitive diagnoses of malignancy. In spite of this bias in preparation technique, malignancy was diagnosed by cytologic analysis alone in 4 of the 48 positive cases (8%). We conclude that the combined approach of histologic and cytologic examination of large-gauge core needle biopsy specimens maximizes the diagnostic yield and sensitivity for detecting malignancy.

Foot drop in a long-distance runner. An unusual presentation of neurofibromatosis.

An athletic patient presented with a nontraumatic peroneal neuropathy that failed to resolve after a period of rest. A magnetic resonance image (MRI) showed a multilobulated mass in the course of the common peroneal nerve consistent with a plexiform neurofibroma. Surgical exploration revealed a mass, which coursed from the midthigh to the fibular neck, that was intimately involved with the fibers of the nerve bundle and had cystic degeneration with vesicles along its length. The authors recommend MRI as highly accurate in diagnosing unusual causes of peroneal neuropathy.