Pathology
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Procalcitonin measurement has been claimed as a helpful marker in bacterial infection and sepsis. It has obtained FDA approval and is now widely marketed in the United States and Europe. This review summarises the current assays available, the evidence for its use and possible future applications of the assay.
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Review Case Reports
Review of isolated ascending aortitis: differential diagnosis, including syphilitic, Takayasu's and giant cell aortitis.
The image of tree-barking and proximal aortic root dilatation is firmly entrenched in the minds of practising pathologists as representing syphilis until proven otherwise. We discuss the differential diagnosis of syphilitic aortitis, Takayasu's disease, and giant cell aortitis, with a review of the literature and brief overview of other types of aortitis. As a starting point, we report a case of non-specific, or idiopathic, aortitis with aneurysm that was initially misdiagnosed as syphilitic aortitis. ⋯ It is still unclear if there are histological features that separate Takayasu's disease and giant cell arteritis. In the majority of patients presenting with aortic root aneurysms, aortitis is an isolated finding not associated with autoimmune disease. Despite a plethora of literature, a histological classification of aortitis has yet to be attempted.
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We reviewed all cases of pilonidal sinus excision specimens from our surgical pathology records from 1990 to 2000 to determine the presence of glomus coccygeum. We found only two cases of glomus coccygeum, also known as coccygeal body. We describe the histology and immunohistochemical findings of two glomera coccygea incidentally discovered in pilonidal sinus excision specimens, and review the world's English literature.