The white pulp in the setting of the septic spleen caused by different bacteria: a comparative morphometric study.

In the past little attention has been paid to histomorphologic changes accompanying the phenomenon of the septic spleen, thus indirectly reinforcing the old axiom that the spleen is an organ of mystery. It is especially noteworthy that the relationship between different causative bacteria and histopathologic abnormalities of the white pulp has not been investigated. In this study morphometric analysis was performed on the white pulp of 30 spleens obtained at autopsy from individuals with premortal sepsis.

Fast and sensitive immunodetection of carcinoma cells in sentinel nodes.

In a number of clinical situations, especially in the context of the recent sentinel node concept, lymph-node involvement has to be determined intraoperatively. Since serious and dependable decisions are to be made according to the result of this examination, the most reliable method for the detection of tumour cells should be applied. We and others have shown previously that routine histological examination underestimates lymph-node metastases, and that immunohistochemistry (IHC) significantly improves the accuracy of staging.