Morphometry of the breast fibroadenoma.

This work is concerned with a morphometric analysis of 23 breast fibroadenomas subdivided into four histological subgroups from purely pericanalicular to purely endocanalicular forms. The volume fractions (Vv) of the lumina and the total volume: epithelial surface ratios (Sv) showed a significant (P less than 0.001) correlation (r = + 0.64). In addition, the Vv and Sv series did not correlate with any of the histological subgroups. The data reported in this work suggest that the ductal epithelium proliferates in fibroadenomas, and that the subtypes are not related to the epithelial growth.

[Anatomicopathological findings relating to fungal infections: considerations on their increase and microbiological findings]. / Rilievi anatomopatologici sulle infezioni da miceti. Considerazioni sul loro incremento e rilievi microbiologici.

2,366 consecutive autopsies carried out at the Institute of Anatomy and Histopathology of the University of Genova over the last 10 years are re-examined. 33 cases of visceral mycosis were found (a frequency of 1.4%). The following factors were considered: number and location of fungal infection, morphological characteristics of mycetes responsible, host tissue reaction, relationship with any other disease manifestation or predisposing factors. It is emphasized that these infections are increasing in frequency and severity. Clinics should therefore always consider possible fungal causes in the differential diagnosis of infections.

Duct carcinoma of the minor salivary glands: a case report.

A tumour was removed from the oral vestibule of a 62-year-old woman. It showed histological features of both salivary duct carcinoma and papillary adenocarcinoma. The possibility that these entities might be but varieties of duct adenocarcinoma is suggested.

[Interstitial radiotherapy with 125I in non-resectable pancreatic carcinoma]. / Radioterapia interstiziale con 125I nel carcinoma pancreatico non resecabile.

The authors analyze results of 220 patients suffering from pancreatic cancer treated in their department from 1982 to 1992. Among these patients 24 of them underwent surgical operation for positioning of radioactive pills. The discussion is on indication and results of this technique, considering also what's reported in scientific literature on the argument.

Heterotopic liver tissue with micronodular cirrhosis. A case report.

At the autopsy of a 64-year-old man, a small ectopic liver lobe without biliary drainage was found in the retroperitoneum. Both the liver and the ectopic lobe showed micronodular cirrhosis. In the latter, biliary hyperplasia and bile plugs were also seen.

Epithelia of endodermal derivation in teratomas.

This work is concerned with the histological features of endoderma-derived epithelia in a series of 48 benign teratomas. The intestine-type epithelium had the histochemical characteristics of that of the large intestine. It occasionally showed argentaffin cells, Paneth cells and accessory structures, such as a basement membrane, bundles of smooth muscle fibers and lymphoid aggregates including IgA-secreting plasma cells. In a teratoma, there was transitional-type epithelium. The respiratory-type epithelium included the basic cell types of the normotopic. It often rested on a basement membrane, and was occasionally surrounded by seromucous glands, cartilage plaques, muscle fibers and lymphoid aggregates.

[Changes in the internal limiting retinal membrane after epiretinal peeling]. / Altérations de la lame limitante interne de la rétine après pelage des membranes épirétiniennes.

The authors describe the histological features of an extensive epiretinal membrane surgically removed from an eye with posterior penetrating ocular trauma. A pars plana vitrectomy and removal of the epiretinal membrane were performed. Histological preparations revealed a large segment of internal limiting membrane (ILM) adherent to the epiretinal membrane. This case report illustrates two points: the adherence between ILM and Muller cells is quite weak; removal of extensive portions of ILM could encourage rapid re-proliferative phenomena.

[Senile macular degeneration: surgical management and histopathologic features]. / Dégénérescence maculaire sénile: traitement chirurgical et aspects histopathologiques.

Choroidal neovascularization often complicates senile macular degeneration; argon and krypton laser photocoagulation are very useful to stop visual acuity decrease caused by extrafoveal choroidal neovascular membrane (NVM) in a large group of patients. Unfortunately, in a large number of cases, NVM causes haemorrhagic serous detachment, disciform scar and, sometimes, vitreous hemorrhage. In these patients it is impossible to perform laser treatment. A three ports pars-plana vitrectomy has been performed for the treatment of intravitreal hemorrhage in a case of haemorrhagic disciform lesion and in two cases of extensive subretinal haemorrhage secondary to subretinal NVMs. Posterior pole focal retinotomies have been created to remove the NVMs in order to prevent further hemorrhages; an internal tamponade has been performed and the retinotomies closed with endophotocoagulation or endocryo. The specimen of the membranes, stained for light microscopy, have been studied. During the months of follow-up (9 months) no subretinal membrane no retinal detachment developed but fibrosis at the retinotomy sites led to traction on the macula. The functional aim of this surgery is limited to the restoration of a clear vitreous and to a reduction in the diameter of the central scotoma in the cases of a recent subretinal haemorrhage.

[Intraoperative cyto-histologic analysis in exocrine carcinoma of the pancreas; relation to choice of therapy]. / Indagine cito-istologica intraoperatoria nel carcinoma esocrino del pancreas; rapporto con la scelta terapeutica.

The Authors analyze the various cyto-histology techniques of investigation during surgical operation in the exocrine cancer of the pancreas, both on the results reported in literature and on their experiences based on a sample of 44 patients. They Authors, at the conclusion, single out the preferential technique in the citology by fine needle biopsy, for its reliability, practicality and lack of any complication.

The sinusoids in cirrhosis. A morphometric study.

The volume fraction of the sinusoids (Vv), the sinusoidal surface:total volume ratio (Sv), and the sinusoidal length:total volume ratio (Lv) were evaluated morphometrically in twelve biopsy specimens with cirrhosis and in eleven control specimens. The Sv, which is directly related to the radius of the sinusoids, was significantly (0.01 greater than P greater than 0.001) greater in the cirrhotic group than in the controls. In contrast, the Lv, which is directly related to the length of the sinusoids, and the Vv did not vary significantly in the same groups. These data support the concept that changes of the sinusoids do not contribute to portal hypertension in cirrhosis.

Morphometric analysis of capillary and cavernous hemangiomas.

This work is concerned with the morphometric analysis of 19 subcutaneous hemangiomas of capillary and cavernous types, to investigate their evolution. Our results suggest that hemangiomas in adults are of malformative nature, and that there is no clear-cut separation between the above types, which only designate extreme patterns of non-intermittent series. Cavernous changes are probably due to blood flow and intravascular pressure in originally capillary hemangiomas.

Relative growth of adenomatous polyps of the colon. Stereology and allometry of multiple polyposis.

The volume of the adenomatous mucosa (V), the area of the surface epithelium (Ss), the area of the glandular epithelium (Sg), and the Sg: Ss ratio were calculated in a series of 14 adenomatous polyps (APs) of a case of multiple polyposis of the colon. The equation of simple allometry was used to study the relative growth of the four series of values. Ss grew isometrically with size; Sg overgrew Ss and accounted for most of the increase in V. The Sg:Ss ratio increased with Sg and V.

[Primary cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma involving the mitral valve]. / Rabdomiosarcoma cardiaco primitivo coinvolgente la valvola mitrale.

Primary cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma is rare and its extension to the mitral valve even rarer. We report a case of left atrial rhabdomyosarcoma involving the mitral valve. The patient was a 62-year-old man who complained of recurrent pre-syncopal episodes, dyspnoea often sudden in onset, asthenia and major weight loss (10 kg in one month). 2-D echocardiography revealed a 4.9 cm2 wide mass attached to the atrial side of the anterior mitral leaflet and to the adjacent inferior interatrial septum, where it seemed to have origin. CT scan and scintigraphy revealed bone, kidney and spleen metastases. The patient underwent emergency cardiac surgery because of increasing pre-syncopal and dyspnoeic episodes due to obstruction by the intracardiac mass. At surgery a tumor was found infiltrating the left atrial wall, the interatrial septum, the mitral anulus and the anterior mitral leaflet up to its tip. Invasion of mitral anulus did not allow mitral valve replacement, so that an excision of the intracardiac mass was performed as extensively as possible. Histology revealed a rhabdomyosarcoma. A post-operative chemotherapy cycle had to be stopped due to onset of atrial fibrillation and dyspnoea. 2-D echo monitoring revealed rapid new growth of the tumor across the basal portion of mitral valve leaflet to the atrioventricular orifice. After several episodes of increasing dyspnoea, the patient had a pulmonary oedema and died.

The relationship between obesity and degree of arteriosclerosis. New autopsy findings.

The degree of arteriosclerotic changes in the aorta and major vessels was inversely related to obesity (P less than 0.05) in an unselected series of 300 autopsies on subjects older than 50 years who had no hypertensive diseases. In addition, out of 11 subjects with very severe obesity, 9 showed no arteriosclerosis, and only 2 showed mild arteriosclerosis.

Histopathology of pseudomembranous colitis.

Pseudomembranous colitis, an uncommon affection following surgery or antibiotic therapy, is characterized by whitish plaques ( pseudomembranes ) attached to the mucosa. Serial sectioning of these pseudomembranes disclosed that each of them was related to a lymphoid aggregate in the submucosa and the lamina propria. A group of glandular crypts overlying the aggregate were dilated by mucus, fibrin, leukocytes, and cellular debris. These contents jutted out of the mucosal surface into the lumen, constituting the stem of the pseudomembrane, and could spread over the surrounding mucosa. Accordingly, a morphologic unit was recognized in pseudomembranous colitis, including the lymphoid aggregate, the dilated glandular crypts, and the pseudomembrane stem.

[Inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver: report of a case with cytological and histological findings]. / Pseudotumore infiammatorio del fegato: segnalazione di un caso con rilievi citologici ed istologici.

The AA. report a case concerning a 58 years old woman with a large hepatic mass involving the segments V-VI-VII-VIII of the liver. The clinical and radiological findings were suggestive for primary malignant lesion. On the contrary, the cytological and histological findings allowed to diagnosis of inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver.

An atypical paediatric case of malignant atrophic papulosis (Köhlmeier-Degos disease).

A new case of malignant atrophic papulosis (Köhlmeier-Degos disease) is reported. Vascular symptoms began at 17 months of age with cerebral ischaemia and progressive involvement of fingers and toes with torpid ulcers and apical necrotic amputations. At 6 years of age he developed chronic intestinal ischaemia with malabsorption and a new cerebral attack; in spite of anti-aggregant therapy the disease progressed and he died 7 months after diagnosis from a third cerebral ictus. Since the typical skin lesions of the disease were absent, the diagnosis was made on the basis of a pathological pattern of an occluded biopsied artery. The elder brother presents clinical and instrumental vascular involvement without cutaneous lesions and could be slightly affected.