Chondrosarcoma of the phalanx: a locally aggressive lesion with minimal metastatic potential: a report of 35 cases and a review of the literature.

Background: Enchondroma is the most common primary benign bone tumor of the hand, especially the phalanges, whereas chondrosarcoma is uncommon at this site. Although phalangeal chondrosarcoma may have ominous histologic features, its biologic behavior is relatively indolent.

Methods: Thirty-five cases of phalangeal lesions previously diagnosed as chondrosarcoma were studied.

Aneurysmal bone cyst of the spine: 31 cases and the importance of the surgical approach.

Thirty-one cases of aneurysmal bone cyst of the spine with a minimum follow-up of 1 year as registered by the Netherlands Committee for Bone Tumors are reported. Aneurysmal bone cyst is a benign, sometimes expansive and destructive, lesion frequently occurring between the ages of 10 and 20 years. Located in the vertebral column, it undermines the structural integrity of the spine, and neurologic complications can occur.

Synovial chondrosarcoma: report of a case and review of the literature.

Primary synovial chondromatosis is a relatively uncommon condition. Synovial chondrosarcoma is considered to be very rare and it is not always clear whether the sarcoma develops by malignant transformation of synovial chondromatosis or whether it arises de novo. Differentiation of the two conditions on clinical and radiographic features is not possible and on histological criteria can be difficult.

Tumoral calcinosis.

A patient with tumoral calcinosis involving the buttock and ischial bone is presented. Bone marrow involvement and a pattern of septal enhancement on MR imaging after intravenous administration of Gd-DTPA were very suggestive of a diagnosis of a chondro(sarco) matous musculoskeletal tumor. The absence of an underlying metabolic disorder, the appreciation of fluid-calcium levels within the lesion and knowledge of the macroscopic and microscopic appearance of this disorder have led to the correct diagnosis in this case.

Desmoplastic fibroma of bone: a report of 18 cases.

Desmoplastic fibroma is a rare benign primary bone tumor, histologically identical to the extra-abdominal desmoid tumor of soft tissues. The incidence in major series of bone tumors is 0.1%-0.

Reactive mesenchymal proliferation.

One hundred and thirteen cases in the files of the Netherlands Committee on Bone Tumors were diagnosed as heterotopic soft tissue ossification. Myositis ossificans was diagnosed in 62, ossifying hematoma in 21, and pseudomalignant osseous tumor of soft tissues in 30 cases. Antecedent trauma was present in 37%, 46% and 7%, respectively.

Ectopic cartilage in subglottic stenosis: hamartoma or reaction to trauma?

In an experimental study in growing rabbits an endolaryngeal injury to the subglottis resulted in the development of a stenosis due to the formation of scar tissue containing ectopic cartilage. For comparison, biopsies taken from the subglottic stenosis in 8 children were studied histologically. In 6 cases ectopic cartilage was observed; all patients had a history of endotracheal intubation.

X-chromosome inactivation in patients who have pigmented villonodular synovitis.

We performed a histological examination and DNA analysis on samples of tissue from a forty-seven-year-old woman who had a clinical diagnosis of pigmented villonodular synovitis. The histological examination confirmed the diagnosis. The evaluation of the samples of tissue with preferential X-chromosome inactivation analysis (a molecular biological method for the study of clonality in tumors) showed that the lesion was polyclonal in origin.

Fibrous dysplasia vs adamantinoma of the tibia: differentiation based on discriminant analysis of clinical and plain film findings.

Differentiation between benign fibrous dysplasia and malignant adamantinoma of the tibia is challenging because of the impact the diagnosis has on the choice of treatment (none or extensive surgery). The histologic and pathologic similarities of the lesions and the controversial relationship between fibrous dysplasia, osteofibrous dysplasia, and adamantinoma complicate the matter. We found a large overlap of histologic features in lesions considered either fibrous dysplasia or osteofibrous dysplasia on the basis of the radiologic findings.

Ultrastructural and immunohistochemical segregation of gemistocytic subsets.

Gemistocytes are frequently encountered in cases of reactive gliosis as well as in glial tumors. Recently, miniature forms of gemistocytes (minigemistocytes) were recognized as cellular constituents of oligodendrogliomas. Antibodies specific for the intermediate filaments glial fibrillary acidic protein and vimentin are reactive with gemistocytic cells, but do not react specifically with these cells.

Wound healing of autologous implants in the nasal septal cartilage.

The cartilaginous nasal septum of the child is often involved in trauma or congenital deformation. In perspective of its role in postnatal growth of the midface, the wound healing of septal cartilage in reaction to various surgical procedures was studied in young rabbits. It was concluded that (1) elevation of mucoperichondrium does not induce significant histologic reactions in the septal cartilage and (2) the wound reaction of cut edges includes only a +/- 0.

Histologic evaluation of crushed cartilage grafts in the growing nasal septum of young rabbits.

The evolution of crushed cartilage grafts in a growing nasal septum of young rabbits was histologically investigated. Crushing leads to necrosis of the greater part of the graft. The characteristic distribution of surviving cells in isolated areas at the surface of the graft reflects different mechanical properties of the centrally and peripherally located cartilage.

Synovial sarcoma: a clinicopathological study of 36 cases.

Thirty-six cases of synovial sarcoma (13 biphasic and 23 monophasic) were subjected to a clinicopathologic study that included electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. The group consisted of 21 males and 15 females ranging in age from 2 to 63 years. The majority of tumors (27 cases) were found in the hip and lower extremity.

Pseudomalignant, nonneoplastic osseous soft-tissue tumors of the hand and foot.

Seventeen patients with nonneoplastic osseous tumors in the soft tissues of the hands and feet were retrospectively studied. Three of the patients had a reliable history of trauma. Ten patients showed periosteal reaction associated with gradual formation of an osseous soft-tissue tumor, sometimes with a peripheral zone of bone density.

Histological grading of prostatic carcinoma in prostatectomy specimens. Comparison of prognostic accuracy of five grading systems.

The prognostic accuracy of 5 histological grading systems (Broders, Anderson, Mostofi, Gleason and Mostofi-Schroeder) was compared. Grading was performed on 50 prostatectomy specimens by 5 pathologists. The results were averaged so as to reduce the impact of inter-observer variation.

Morphometrically estimated variation in nuclear size. A useful tool in grading prostatic cancer.

At present there are several grading systems for prostatic carcinoma. Most are difficult to reproduce. An objective method of grading seems to be necessary and could make comparisons between various groups of patients easier and grading more reliable.

Differential effects of endolaryngeal trauma upon the growth of the subglottis.

In young rabbits (4-week-old) the growth of the subglottis was studied after an endolaryngeal soft tissue trauma. The injury induced the formation of a subglottic stenosis. In contrast to earlier observations on endolaryngeal trauma extending into the cricoid cartilage, the cricoid developed normally to the adult size and shape at 24 weeks.

Histologic study of the growth of the subglottis after interruption of the circular structure of the cricoid.

In a previous study in growing rabbits it was demonstrated that after resection of a ventral part of the cricoid the lumen of the subglottic airway developed normal size during further growth up to the adult stage. Histologic investigations of these cases suggest that a subepithelial network of elastic fibres, ventrally suspended to the thyroid and the tracheal rings, ensures the airway lumen and prevents the development of a subglottic stenosis. Resection of a ventral part of the cricoid including the adjacent soft tissue lining of the airway causes an irreversible loss of the supporting elastic layer and the formation of scar tissue resulting in a stenosis.

Morphometric study of the growth of the subglottis after interruption of the circular structure of the cricoid.

In young rabbits the growth of the subglottis was studied over a period of 20 weeks after interruption of the circularity of the cricoid on the ventral side. In all cases the cricoid developed into a U-like structure which did not cause an airway narrowing. However, a cricoid lesion combined with an injury to the soft tissue lining led up to a subglottic stenosis.

Comparative ultrastructure of soft-tissue myxoid tumors.

This comparative analysis of the characteristic ultrastructural features specific for intramuscular myxoma, myxoid liposarcoma, extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma, myxoid malignant fibrous histiocytoma, myxoid variant of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, and myxoid neurilemmoma is based on our own studies of 52 cases. In spite of the histologic resemblance frequently observed, these tumors can be easily distinguished on the basis of cytoplasmic and extracellular features by electron microscopy. The value of electron microscopy in the diagnosis of myxoid tumors of soft tissues lies mainly in its potential to provide additional information concerning the cell types involved in the neoplastic process and their line of differentiation.

A morphometric study of the growth of the subglottis after endolaryngeal trauma.

In young rabbits the growth of the subglottis was studied over a period of 20 weeks following an endolaryngeal trauma. This lesion of the larynx at the age of 4 weeks resulted in the development of a stenosis in the adult stage. The stenosis appeared to be caused by a specific change in the pattern of growth leading up to an anterior narrowing ('pear'-like) of the cricoid ring and a conspicuous thickening of the subepithelial layer.

A histologic study of the growth of the subglottis after endolaryngeal trauma.

In young rabbits the histologic features of the growth of the subglottis were studied after an endolaryngeal trauma. This lesion of the larynx leading to a subglottic stenosis, caused specific pathologic changes of the cricoid cartilage and the subepithelial tissues. Activation of chondrocytes resulted in proliferation and regeneration of destructed cartilage.