Biomedical subjects

Michael R Henry

Publications and source records attributed to Michael R Henry.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Interobserver agreement on microfollicles in thyroid fine-needle aspirates.

CONTEXT: Although microfollicles are a well-known feature of follicular neoplasms in fine-needle aspirates of the thyroid, the level of agreement about classifying groups as microfollicles is not known. OBJECTIVE: To determine what features are present in groups that are consistently classified as microfollicles. DESIGN: We showed 45 small groups of follicular cells each composed of fewer than 50 cells from fine-needle aspirates of the thyroid to 12 members of the College of American Pathologists Cytopathology Committee, who then classified the groups into microfollicles, macrofollicles, and indeterminate groups. RESULTS: Twenty groups were consistently classified as microfollicles, 7 groups as macrofollicles, and 18 groups as indeterminate. Cases that were consistently classified as microfollicles were composed of fewer than 15 cells (19/20 cases), were arranged in a circle with a lumen (13/20 cases) that was at least two-thirds complete (12/20 cases), and were flat (18/20 cases). Cases that were classified as macrofollicular had between 8 and 35 cells, were arranged in sheets composed of at least 15 cells (5/7 cases) or rows of 8 cells (2/7 cases), and were flat (7/7 cases). In contrast, cases that were indeterminate were composed of either 3-dimensional groups (5/18 cases), flat groups of fewer than 10 cells (11/18 cases), or single cells (1/18 cases). CONCLUSION: Not all small groups of follicular cells are consistently classified as microfollicles, and some are more often classified as macrofollicles. The criteria described here for reproducible microfollicles (<15 cells, arranged in a circle that is at least two-thirds complete, and flat) may help improve the agreement in classification of microfollicles and lead to more consistent classification of thyroid fine-needle aspirates.

Adenocarcinoma, Follicular↗

PubMed2006

Leukemia/lymphoma in cerebrospinal fluid: distinguishing between cases that performed well and poorly in the College of American Pathologists Interlaboratory Comparison Program in Non-gynecologic Cytology.

CONTEXT: Although the cytologic features of leukemia/lymphoma in cerebrospinal fluid specimens are well known, the correlation of these features with the ability of cytologists to identify this tumor have not been well studied. OBJECTIVE: To identify the morphologic features of leukemia/lymphoma in cerebrospinal fluid that are associated with good performance and poor performance in an educational interlaboratory comparison program; and to identify the morphologic features associated with how well a slide performs with regard to its reference diagnosis. DESIGN: The performance of 147 cases of leukemia/lymphoma in the College of American Pathologists Interlaboratory Comparison Program in Non-gynecologic Cytology was analyzed. The cytologic features of a subset of 31 cases composed of relatively equal numbers of Romanowsky-stained and Papanicolaou-stained specimens were further evaluated, and those that performed poorly (n = 12) were compared with those that performed extremely well (n = 19). RESULTS: For all cases of leukemia/lymphoma in the program, the rate of misclassification as benign for cases with Papanicolaou stain was significantly higher than for those with Romanowsky stain (9.5% vs 2.6%, P < .001). Compared with cases that performed well, slides that performed poorly were more likely to have less than 200 abnormal cells (42% vs 5%, P = .02). The size of the tumor cells and preservation were not significant. CONCLUSION: Cases of specimens of leukemia/lymphoma in cerebrospinal fluid are more likely to be misdiagnosed as benign if they are Papanicolaou-stained or have 200 abnormal cells.

Cytodiagnosis↗

PubMed2006

Fine-needle aspiration of papillary thyroid carcinoma: distinguishing between cases that performed well and those that performed poorly in the College of American Pathologists Nongynecologic Cytology Program.

CONTEXT: Although the cytologic features of papillary thyroid carcinoma in fine-needle aspiration specimens are well known, the correlation of these features with the ability of cytologists to identify this tumor has not been well studied. OBJECTIVE: To compare the cytologic features of cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma that performed poorly with those of cases that performed well. DESIGN: The cytologic features of 13 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma from the College of American Pathologists Nongynecologic Cytology Program that performed poorly were compared with those of 15 cases that performed well. RESULTS: Compared with cases that performed well, cases that performed poorly were significantly more likely to lack marked nuclear enlargement (38% vs 100%, P < .001), lack pale chromatin (8% vs 47%, P = .04), and lack intranuclear inclusions (8% vs 53%, P = .02). The differences between the 2 groups in staining, type of preparation, nuclear grooves, nuclear crowding, colloid, cellularity, nuclear pleomorphism, and Hurthle cell change were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma that lack marked nuclear enlargement, pale chromatin, and intranuclear inclusions are significantly more difficult to recognize than cases that have these features. Increased awareness of these types of cases might improve the performance of thyroid fine-needle aspiration in clinical practice.

Adenocarcinoma, Papillary↗

PubMed2005

Cytologic features of squamous cell carcinoma in conventional smears: comparison of cases that performed poorly with those that performed well in the College of American Pathologists Interlaboratory Comparison Program in cervicovaginal cytology.

CONTEXT: Characteristic cytologic features have been identified that distinguish cases that are always identified from those that are sometimes missed in the College of American Pathologists Gynecologic Cytology Program for a variety of different lesions and preparations. OBJECTIVE: To compare the cytologic features of cases of squamous cell carcinoma in conventional smears that perform poorly and well. DESIGN: The cytologic features of 8 conventional smear cases of squamous cell carcinoma that performed poorly in the College of American Pathologists Interlaboratory Comparison Program were compared with 17 cases that performed extremely well. RESULTS: A total of 2387 individual interpretations were recorded. Of the 86 incorrect responses, 6.2% were for repair, and 0.8% were for Trichomonas. Cases that performed well were significantly more likely to have greater than 1000 dysplastic cells (16/17 vs 4/8, P = .02) and be keratinized (13/17 vs 1/8, P = .007). Obscuring inflammation and cell size were not significant. CONCLUSION: Conventional smears with a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma that were always identified were significantly more likely to have greater than 1000 cells and be keratinized than cases that performed poorly.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

PubMed2003

The Bethesda System 2001: an update of new terminology for gynecologic cytology.

From the inception of TBS in 1988, it has been well received by the pathology and clinical communities. The need for a unifying system of nomenclature was so great that most of the laboratories in the United States, as well as in numerous countries worldwide, quickly adopted TBS. By 1991, only 2 years after the initial publication of the initial TBS, 57% of United States laboratories were using the system. By 1994, almost 90% of laboratories were using TBS [28]. Although explanations for such a quick acceptance of TBS are many, one of the leading reasons is, most certainly, the sound and thoughtful basis for all of the elements of TBS. These include: (1) nomenclature that provides uniform diagnostic terminology to facilitate unambiguous communication between the laboratory and the clinician; (2) diagnostic categories that incorporate the latest scientific information on the pathogenesis and prognosis of cervical lesions; and (3) incorporation of the evaluation of specimen adequacy as an integral part of the report. From the beginning, TBS was more than just a diagnostic lexicon. When Drs. Kurman and Solomon decided that something had to be done about the diagnostic mess in GYN cytology, they did not develop another system. Instead, they convened an international consensus conference to look at the problem and come up with a comprehensive, relevant solution. The input from the entire community, which lent strength to the initial TBS, has continued to the present. This is highlighted by the enormous amount of input that was received by the 2001 TBS forum groups that enabled them to fine tune the existing terminology to meet the needs of today's clinicians. The result, continues to be an evolving, comprehensive, and clinically relevant entity, that should meet the needs of pathologists and clinicians for the foreseeable future.

Cell Biology↗

PubMed2002

ASCCP Patient Management Guidelines: Pap Test Specimen Adequacy and Quality Indicators.

OBJECTIVES: To provide management guidelines according to Pap test specimen adequacy based on literature review and expert opinion. METHODS: A task force named by the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology conducted a literature review and discussed appropriate management. The steering committee of the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology and other experts reviewed the guidelines. RESULTS: The guidelines recommend a repeat Pap test in 12 months for most women who are undergoing routine annual/biennial screening if the current Pap test is negative but either lacks an endocervical/transformation zone component or is partially obscured. Indications for considering an earlier repeat are also provided. The preferred management for unsatisfactory Pap tests is a repeat Pap test within a short interval of 2 to 4 months. CONCLUSIONS: The management guidelines will help promote optimal and uniform follow-up of women's Pap tests, according to Pap test specimen adequacy.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2002

ASCCP patient management guidelines: Pap test specimen adequacy and quality indicators.

Our objective was to provide management guidelines according to Papanicolaou (Pap) test specimen adequacy based on literature review and expert opinion. A task force named by the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) conducted a literature review and discussed appropriate management. The Steering Committee of the ASCCP and other experts reviewed the guidelines. The guidelines recommend a repeated Pap test in 12 months for most women undergoing routine annual/biennial screening if the current Pap test is negative but either lacks an endocervical/ transformation zone component or is partially obscured. Indications for considering an earlier repeat are also provided. The preferred managementfor unsatisfactory Pap tests is a repeated Pap test within a short interval of 2 to 4 months. The management guidelines will help promote optimal and uniform follow-up of women according to Pap test specimen adequacy.

Female↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of cellularity on the sensitivity of detecting squamous lesions in liquid-based cervical cytology.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of cellularity on the sensitivity of both screening and diagnosis in a liquid-based cervical sample. STUDY DESIGN: SurePath samples (TriPath Imaging Inc., Burlington, North Carolina, U.S.A.) with known diagnoses were selected, including 18 negative, 16 low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) and 12 high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) cases. Through a serial dilution technique, samples of varying cellularity were prepared. The 275 slides were assigned random numbers and were routinely screened by 1 of 2 senior cytotechnologists, blinded to the reference diagnosis. Specimens with a screening diagnosis of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) or higher were reviewed by two pathologists, resulting in a final consensus diagnosis. Using a grid counting system, cellularity was determined for each slide. RESULTS: There was a clear demarcation in sensitivity between specimens with a cellularity of < 5,000 or > or = 5,000 squamous cells. This applied to both the sensitivity for screening and to the final consensus diagnosis. For cases with a reference diagnosis of LSIL+, at a cytotechnologist screening level of ASCUS or greater, sensitivity increased from 72.8% (< 5,000 cells) to 98.1% (> or = 5,000 cells) and for a reference diagnosis of HSIL from 85.7% to 100%, respectively. Similarly, for the consensus diagnosis, sensitivity rose from 78.5% (< 5,000 cells) to 96.6% (> or = 5,000 cells) for LSIL+ and from 82.9% to 100%, respectively, for HSIL. These differences were statistically significant (P < .001). CONCLUSION: A minimum cellularity of 5,000 squamous cells is recommended for SurePath liquid-based cervical preparations.

Carcinoma↗