Utility of reflexive gomori methenamine silver and Acid-fast bacillus staining on bronchoalveolar lavage specimens.

Objective: Reflexive testing of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens with Gomori methenamine silver (GMS) and acid-fast bacillus (AFB) stains is not routinely performed by most institutions. Instead, these stains are usually ordered to evaluate for the presence of fungal elements and/or acid-fast organisms if initial histopathologic assessment suggests the presence of these pathogens. Our institution, however, performs these stains on all BAL specimens.

Endoscopic ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration of a splenic hemangioma with extramedullary hematopoiesis.

Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) is the production of mature blood elements outside of the bone marrow and can occur as a compensatory result of a marrow replacing process or from marrow space occupying lesions such as tumor or marrow fibrosis. EMH can also be induced by factors elicited by neoplasms, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Usually, EMH is a diffuse process most commonly observed in lymph nodes, liver, and spleen.