Xanthogranulomatous inflammation (XGI) is characterized histologically by the deposition of foamy macrophages and infiltration of inflammatory cells. While XGI is extremely rare, it has been reported in the gallbladder, kidney, stomach, and lymph nodes. A 61-year-old woman presented with epigastric pain for 2 weeks. Abdominal computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed a pancreatic head mass with distal common bile duct wall thickening. Endoscopic ultrasonography followed by fine needle aspiration was performed, and subsequent pathology report revealed a benign disease. Because uncontrolled abdominal pain persisted and possibility of malignancy could not be excluded, Whipple's operation was eventually performed, and pathology report showed xanthogranulomatous pancreatitis (XGP). Herein, we report a case of symptomatic XGP mimicking of pancreas cancer. Although XGP is extremely rare, it should be considered as a differential diagnosis of neoplastic lesions of the pancreas.
Abdominal Pain ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Common Bile Duct ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Endosonography ; Female ; Gallbladder ; Head ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Kidney ; Lymph Nodes ; Macrophages ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Neoplasms* ; Pancreatitis* ; Pathology ; Stomach

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Early detection of gallbladder (GB) cancer is essential for better survival rates. Most cases of GB cancer are diagnosed incidentally via pathology of the cholecystectomy specimen. Data on the clinical characteristics of early GB cancer are lacking. The aim of the current study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of early GB cancer to aid earlier diagnosis. METHODS: Sixty-four patients who were diagnosed with early GB cancer after surgical resection at the Samsung Medical Center were enrolled in this study. Clinical characteristics, preoperative diagnoses, preoperative tumor size, laboratory findings including carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels, imaging features, and survival rate were investigated. RESULTS: Clinical symptoms and serum tumor markers such as carcinoembryonic antigen and CA19-9 levels were not helpful indicators of early GB cancer. Radiologic modalities showed abnormal findings in every case of early GB cancer; a polypoid mass was the most common feature. Less common features included GB wall thickening, cholecystitis, and GB stones. The clinical outcome of early GB cancer was excellent. CONCLUSIONS: Screening with imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT) or ultrasonography (US) is helpful in detecting early GB cancer. Even in the presence of GB wall thickening, cholecystitis, or GB stones on the CT or US, any abnormal findings should prompt careful examination and intensive follow up, considering the possibility of occult gallbladder cancer.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystitis ; Diagnosis ; Gallbladder ; Gallbladder Neoplasms* ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Pathology ; Survival Rate ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Ultrasonography

The role of integrated 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET-CT) is uncertain in gallbladder cancer. The aim of this study was to show the role of PET-CT in gallbladder cancer patients. Fifty-three patients with gallbladder cancer underwent preoperative computed tomography (CT) and PET-CT scans. Their medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-six patients underwent resection. Based on the final outcomes, PET-CT was in good agreement (0.61 to 0.80) with resectability whereas CT was in acceptable agreement (0.41 to 0.60) with resectability. When the diagnostic accuracy of the predictions for resectability was calculated with the ROC curve, the accuracy of PET-CT was higher than that of CT in patients who underwent surgical resection (P=0.03), however, there was no difference with all patients (P=0.12). CT and PET-CT had a discrepancy in assessing curative resection in nine patients. These consisted of two false negative and four false positive CT results (11.3%) and three false negative PET-CT results (5.1%). PET-CT was in good agreement with the final outcomes compared to CT. As a complementary role of PEC-CT to CT, PET-CT tended to show better prediction about resectability than CT, especially due to unexpected distant metastasis.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; *Cholecystography ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/diagnostic use ; Gallbladder/pathology/surgery ; Gallbladder Neoplasms/*diagnosis/*surgery ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis/diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; *Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radiopharmaceuticals/diagnostic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To describe computed tomography (CT) features of metastatic gallbladder (GB) tumors (MGTs) from various primary tumors and to determine whether there are differential imaging features of MGTs according to different primary tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one patients who had pathologically confirmed MGTs and underwent CT were retrospectively enrolled. Clinical findings including presenting symptoms, type of surgery, and interval between primary and metastatic tumors were recorded. Histologic features of primary tumor and MGTs including depth of invasion were also reviewed. Imaging findings were analyzed for the location and morphology of MGTs, pattern and degree of enhancement, depth of invasion, presence of intact overlying mucosa, and concordance between imaging features of primary and metastatic tumors. Significant differences between the histologies of MGTs and imaging features were determined. RESULTS: The most common primary tumor metastasized to the GB was gastric cancer (n = 8), followed by renal cell carcinoma (n = 4) and hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 3). All MGTs (n = 21) manifested as infiltrative wall thickenings (n = 15) or as polypoid lesions (n = 6) on CT, similar to the features of primary GB cancers. There were significant differences in the morphology of MGTs, enhancement pattern, enhancement degree, and depth of invasion according to the histology of primary tumors (p < 0.05). Metastatic adenocarcinomas of the GB manifested as infiltrative and persistently enhancing wall thickenings, while non-adenocarcinomatous metastases usually manifested as polypoid lesions with early wash-in and wash-out. CONCLUSION: Although CT findings of MGTs are similar to those of primary GB cancer, they are significantly different between the various histologies of primary tumors.
Adenocarcinoma/pathology/radiography/secondary ; Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology/radiography/secondary ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell/pathology/radiography/secondary ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology/radiography/secondary ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gallbladder Neoplasms/pathology/*radiography/*secondary ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms/pathology ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology ; Male ; Melanoma/pathology/radiography/secondary ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness/radiography ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms/pathology ; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The objective of our study was to identify useful computed tomography (CT) findings for differentiating fundal type adenomyomatosis from localized chronic cholecystitis involving the fundus of the gallbladder. METHODS: We retrospectively identified cases of 41 patients with pathologically proven adenomyomatosis (n=21) or chronic cholecystitis (n=20) who had fundal thickening of the gallbladder on preoperative abdominal CT. Analysis of the CT findings included evaluation of the thickness, contour, border, intralesional cystic area, adjacent gallbladder wall thickening, presence of inner layer enhancement, enhancement grade, enhancement pattern, and presence of stones. Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test and Fisher exact test. RESULTS: Oval contour, inner layer enhancement and intralesional cystic area were more frequently noted in adenomyomatosis than in chronic cholecystitis (p<0.05 for each finding). Flat contour and adjacent gallbladder wall thickening were more frequently observed in chronic cholecystitis than in adenomyomatosis. No differences between adenomyomatosis and chronic cholecystitis in terms of the thickness, enhancement grade, enhancement pattern and presence of stones were apparent. CONCLUSIONS: CT may help to differentiate fundal type adenomyomatosis from localized chronic cholecystitis involving the fundus of the gallbladder.
Adenomyoma/*pathology/radiography ; Adult ; Aged ; Cholecystitis/*pathology/radiography ; Chronic Disease ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gallbladder ; Gallbladder Neoplasms/*pathology/radiography ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Adenocarcinoma/*complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Aged, 80 and over ; Colonoscopy ; Ethanol/therapeutic use ; Female ; Gallbladder Neoplasms/*complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction/*etiology ; Liver Neoplasms/complications/drug therapy/secondary ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo study the role of arginase-1 (Arg-1) expression in differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), Arg-1 staining pattern in clear cell neoplasm (HCC and non-HCC) and Arg-1 expression in non-hepatocellular tumors.

METHODSSeventy-eight cases of HCC (including 8 cases of clear cell type and 70 cases of non- clear cell type) and 246 cases of non-hepatocellular neoplasms (including 29 cases of metastatic tumors such as breast cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma and neuroendocrine carcinoma, 77 cases of tumors with clear cell changes such as malignant melanoma, clear cell renal cell carcinoma and alveolar soft part sarcoma, and 140 cases of other types of tumors such as ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma, pituitary tumor and thyroid papillary carcinoma) were studied.Immunohistochemical study for Arg-1 was performed on the paraffin-embedded tumor tissue.

RESULTSIn HCC, Arg-1 demonstrated both cytoplasmic and nuclear staining, with an overall sensitivity of 96.2% (75/78).In well, moderately and poorly differentiated HCC, the sensitivity was 15/15, 100% (41/41) and 86.4% (19/22), respectively. That was in contrast to negative staining for Arg-1 in all the 29 cases of metastatic tumors studied. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of Arg-1 in distinguishing HCC from metastatic tumors was 96.2%, 100%, 100% and 90.6%, respectively. Cytoplasmic and membranous staining was observed in clear cell type of HCC. The overall sensitivity of Arg-1 expression in the 77 cases of tumors with clear cell changes was 14.3% (11/77), including 8/15 for malignant melanoma, 2/4 for ovarian clear cell carcinoma and 1/1 gall bladder adenocarcinoma with clear cell component.In malignant melanoma and ovarian clear cell carcinoma, only cytoplasmic staining was demonstrated. There was no expression of Arg-1 in the 140 cases of other tumor types studied.

CONCLUSIONSArg-1 is a sensitive and specific marker for HCC.It is a potentially useful immunohistochemical marker in distinguishing HCC from metastatic tumors. Though also expressed in malignant melanoma and ovarian clear cell carcinoma, Arg-1 shows a different staining pattern as compared with that in HCC.

Adenocarcinoma ; enzymology ; Adult ; Aged ; Arginase ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; enzymology ; pathology ; secondary ; Cell Differentiation ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; enzymology ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; secondary ; Male ; Melanoma ; enzymology ; Middle Aged ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; enzymology ; Stomach Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo summarize the clinical features and outcomes of unsupected gallbladder carcinoma ( UGC) detected during or after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

METHODSMedical records of 8005 patients, who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Peking Union Medical College Hospital between June 1993 and June 2011, were reviewed. Patients that pathologically diagnosed as UGC were retrospectively studied in terms of clinical features, preoperative and postoperative diagnosis, surviving period, and complications.

RESULTSIn the 8005 patients who received laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 36 (0.45%) were diagnosed as UGC during (25 patients) or after (11 patients) laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The gallbladder cancer was staged as T1 in 16 patients, T2 in 11 patients, and T3 in 9 patients. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of all the patients were 88.9% (32/36), 63.9% (23/36), and 58.3% (21/36). The 5-year survival rates in T1 stage, T2 stage, and T3 stage patients were 100%, 75.0%, and 0.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThe survival rate of UGC is associated with tumor stage, not with operation approaches. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is appropriate for T1 patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Female ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

The biliary tract is an unusual site of metastasis from breast carcinoma, and this has rarely been reported in the literature. We report the case of a 42-year-old woman diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for an incidental finding of gallbladder wall thickening on ultrasonography, which was subsequently confirmed to be consistent with metastasis from the breast primary.
Adult ; Biliary Tract ; physiopathology ; Breast Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Lobular ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; methods ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; secondary ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography

We report three cases of mucin-producing carcinoma of the gallbladder, along with the magnetic resonance (MR) findings, especially the findings on a MR cholangiopancreatography. In our cases, linear or curvilinear streaks were detected running along the long axis of an enlarged gallbladder (mucus thread sign). When such findings were seen, a mucin-producing carcinoma of the gallbladder should be included as a differential diagnosis. Thus, gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging is mandatory for the precise diagnosis of the mucin-producing carcinoma of the gallbladder.
Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; *Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance ; Cholecystectomy ; Contrast Media/diagnostic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fatal Outcome ; Female ; Gadolinium DTPA/diagnostic use ; Gallbladder Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged