Obstacles and drivers in the adoption of Standardized Structured Reporting (SSR): insights from pathologists.

The adoption of Standardized Structured Reporting (SSR) in pathology offers significant potential to improve data consistency, completeness, and interoperability. This study combines quantitative data from an online survey of Belgian pathologists with qualitative insights from focus group interviews to identify key factors influencing SSR implementation. Survey results demonstrate strong support for SSR, particularly in enhancing report uniformity, completeness, and efficiency, especially in multidisciplinary teams and for secondary data use.

Proteomics-Based Analysis of Laser-Capture Micro-dissected, Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Tissue Samples.

The ability to bring spatial resolution to omics studies enables a deeper understanding of cell populations and interactions in biological tissues. In the case of proteomics, single-cell and spatial approaches have been particularly challenging, due to limitations in sensitivity and throughput relative to other omics fields. Recent developments at the level of sample handling, chromatography, and mass spectrometry have set the stage for proteomics to be established in these new disciplines.

Value of electron microscopy as perceived by nephrologists in Flanders, Belgium.

Electron microscopy (EM) is an important complementary tool in biopsy diagnosis of kidney disease. However, EM is a costly technique and not universally available. In order to understand nephrologists' perspectives on EM, a survey among Flemish nephrologists was conducted.

Pilot Study on the Use of Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy for Diagnosing and Characterizing Cardiac Amyloidosis.

Amyloidosis diagnosis relies on Congo red staining with immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence for subtyping but lacks sensitivity and specificity. Laser-microdissection mass spectroscopy offers better accuracy but is complex and requires extensive sample preparation. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy offers a promising alternative for amyloidosis characterization.

Interactions between eosinophils and IL-5Rα-positive mast cells in nonadvanced systemic mastocytosis.

Background: Bidirectional interactions between eosinophils and mast cells (MCs) have been reported in various allergic diseases. Bone marrow (BM) eosinophilia, and to a lesser extent blood eosinophilia, is common in systemic mastocytosis (SM), but its significance remains unknown.

Objective: We described blood and BM eosinophil characteristics in SM.

Unusual orbital, scleral and choroidal findings in Erdheim-Chester disease: a case report.

This case report highlights a unique presentation of Erdheim-Chester Disease (ECD) with bilateral scleral lesions, choroidal infiltration, and extensive sinus involvement. It is the first case report where the diagnosis was confirmed through a scleral biopsy after an initial presentation of a unilateral nodular scleritis. There was a gradual disease progression and ocular examination later revealed bilateral subconjunctival hyperemic lesions and mild exophthalmos, ophthalmoplegia, and extensive choroidal infiltration.

Advancing Renal Amyloidosis Care: The Role of Modern Diagnostic Techniques with the Potential of Enhancing Patient Outcomes.

Renal amyloidosis is a set of complex disorders characterized by the deposition of amyloid proteins in the kidneys, which causes gradual organ damage and potential kidney failure. Recent developments in diagnostic methods, particularly mass spectrometry and proteome profiling, have greatly improved the accuracy of amyloid typing, which is critical for disease management. These technologies provide extensive insights into the specific proteins involved, allowing for more targeted treatment approaches and better patient results.

Divergent cardiac and renal effects of miR-181c-5p inhibition in a rodent heart failure model.

Aims: MiR-181c-5p overexpression associates with heart failure (HF) and cardiac damage, but the underlying pathophysiology remains unclear. This study investigated the effect of miR-181c-5p inhibition on cardiac function and fibrosis in a rodent model of diastolic dysfunction, and evaluated additional effects on kidney as relevant comorbid organ.

Methods And Results: Diastolic dysfunction was induced in male C57/BL6J mice ( = 20) by combining high-fat diet, L-NG-nitroarginine methyl ester, and angiotensin II administration, and was compared to sham controls ( = 18).

2-Step Scores with optional nephropathology for the prediction of adverse outcomes for brain-dead donor kidneys in Eurotransplant.

Background: The decision to accept or discard the increasingly rare and marginal brain-dead donor kidneys in Eurotransplant (ET) countries has to be made without solid evidence. Thus, we developed and validated flexible clinicopathological scores called 2-Step Scores for the prognosis of delayed graft function (DGF) and 1-year death-censored transplant loss (1y-tl) reflecting the current practice of six ET countries including Croatia and Belgium.

Methods: The training set was n = 620 for DGF and n = 711 for 1y-tl, with validation sets n = 158 and n = 162, respectively.

Predicting cytogenetic risk in multiple myeloma using conventional whole-body MRI, spinal dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, and spinal diffusion-weighted imaging.

Objectives: Cytogenetic abnormalities are predictors of poor prognosis in multiple myeloma (MM). This paper aims to build and validate a multiparametric conventional and functional whole-body MRI-based prediction model for cytogenetic risk classification in newly diagnosed MM.

Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed MM who underwent multiparametric conventional whole-body MRI, spinal dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE-)MRI, spinal diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) and had genetic analysis were retrospectively included (2011-2020/Ghent University Hospital/Belgium).

Proteomics-Based Analysis and Diagnosis of Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Amyloidosis Samples.

Amyloidosis is a group of rare pathologies characterized by abnormal folding and deposition of susceptible proteins in tissues and organs. Diagnosis of amyloidosis often relies on immunohistochemistry of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) patient samples; however, dependency on antibodies for protein staining is one of the major pitfalls of this approach, especially for the detection of rare amyloidosis types. In recent years, mass spectrometry-based proteomics has emerged as a promising alternative for adequate detection and amyloid typing, despite the fact that preparing FFPE samples for proteomics remains a challenging task.

Feasibility and safety of synchrotron-based X-ray phase contrast imaging as a technique complementary to histopathology analysis.

X-ray phase contrast imaging (X-PCI) is a powerful technique for high-resolution, three-dimensional imaging of soft tissue samples in a non-destructive manner. In this technical report, we assess the quality of standard histopathological techniques performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) human tissue samples that have been irradiated with different doses of X-rays in the context of an X-PCI experiment. The data from this study demonstrate that routine histochemical and immunohistochemical staining quality as well as DNA and RNA analyses are not affected by previous X-PCI on human FFPE samples.

Favorable course of leptospirosis and hantavirus-induced acute tubulointerstitial nephritis under corticosteroid treatment.

Background: We present two children with acute tubulointerstitial nephritis (ATIN) caused by leptospirosis in a 12-year-old boy and hantavirus in a 10-year-old girl. The role of glucocorticoids in the management of ATIN triggered by infectious agents is unclear.

Case-diagnosis/treatment: Both children were hospitalized with jaundice, elevated serum creatinine, and thrombocytopenia.

Clinicopathological characteristics and disease chronicity in native kidney biopsies in Flanders.

Background: The Flemish Collaborative Glomerulonephritis Group (FCGG) registry provides complete population data on kidney disease epidemiology in the region of Flanders (Belgium), as it captures all native kidney biopsies performed in its population of 6.5 million inhabitants.

Methods: From 2017 until 2019, 2054 adult kidney biopsies were included from 26 nephrology centers (one biopsy per patient).

Immune Complex Glomerulonephritis in a Patient with Myelodysplastic Syndrome with Ring Sideroblasts Treated with Luspatercept.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of clonal myeloid disorders distinguished by dysplastic bone marrow and peripheral blood cells, ineffective hematopoiesis, and an increased risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia (AML). MDS with ring sideroblasts (MDS-RS) is a favorable outcome subtype with a lower frequency of AML transformation. The FDA recently approved luspatercept for the treatment of patients with very-low-, low-, and intermediate-risk MDS-RS who have failed to correct anemia with an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) and require two units of red blood cells over an eight-week period.

Case report: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome presenting as hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis may occur in patients with genetic predisposition and in sporadic cases due to malignancy or infection. We describe a 49-year old man with hemorrhagic fever, type 1 respiratory insufficiency and acute kidney injury. Diagnostic work up showed a hyperinflammatory syndrome, hypertriglyceridemia, hemophagocytosis, very high ferritin and significantly elevated sCD25.

Subsolid Nodule Harbouring Extranodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma of Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue.

With the widespread use of computed tomography (CT), subsolid nodules are more frequently encountered in daily practice. We present the case of a 74-year-old man with a large persistent well-defined subsolid nodule on CT. Although the lesion had a predominant ground-glass appearance on CT, F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) showed moderate FDG uptake.

Immunosenescence: an unexplored role in glomerulonephritis.

Immunosenescence is a natural ageing phenomenon with alterations in innate and especially adaptive immunity and contributes to reduced antimicrobial defence and chronic low-grade inflammation. This is mostly reflected by an increase in organ-directed and/or circulating reactive and cytolytic terminally differentiated T cells that have lost their expression of the costimulatory receptor CD28. Apart from being induced by a genetic predisposition, ageing or viral infections (particularly cytomegalovirus infection), immunosenescence is accelerated in many inflammatory diseases and uraemia.

Epidemiology and clinicopathological characteristics of native kidney disease in children in Flanders, Belgium.

Background: The Flemish Collaborative Glomerulonephritis Group (FCGG) registry is a population-based kidney biopsy registry that has been including all native kidney biopsies performed in children in Flanders (Belgium), since 2017.

Methods: From 2017 to 2020, 148 pediatric (< 18 years) native kidney biopsies were included. Each biopsy received a histopathological and final nephrological diagnosis, and concordance between both was assessed.