Diagnostic value of electron microscopy detection using abdominal fat pad biopsy in systemic amyloidosis
- 1 April 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Dustri-Verlgag Dr. Karl Feistle in Clinical Nephrology
- Vol. 95 (4), 201-207
- https://doi.org/10.5414/cn110320
Abstract
Objective: Electron microscopy (EM) was used to observe the deposition and ultrastructural characteristics of amyloids in abdominal adipose tissue, which provided a reliable basis for pathological diagnosis of systemic amyloidosis. Materials and methods: 42 patients with established amyloidosis and 8 controls underwent surgical biopsy of subcutaneous abdominal fat. The fat tissues were submitted concurrently in 4% buffered neutral formalin for histological sections preparation, in glutaraldehyde fixative for EM studies, and in saline solutions for immunofluorescence tests. Results: Light microscopy revealed marked brickred staining in 11 of 42 samples, 6 moderate and 11 slight staining in the septum of cells, medium and small sized vessel, and apple green double refraction under polarized light microscopy. There were no significant differences in fat biopsies between the systemic amyloidosis and normal subjects in 14 cases. The EM showed approximate 10-nm-thick straight filaments in adipose tissue in all 42 cases with amyloidosis. The positive rate of diagnosis was 100%. Congo red stained sections alone in cases with scant amyloid led to false negative results, but the EM was able to characterize the amyloid protein in all cases. Conclusion: Therefore, preliminary diagnosis of suspected cases can be made by Congo red staining, but the final diagnosis requires an electron microscopic examination.Keywords
This publication has 9 references indexed in Scilit:
- Elastic fiber ultrastructure and assemblyMatrix Biology, 2019
- Abdominal fat pad excisional biopsy for the diagnosis and typing of systemic amyloidosisHuman Pathology, 2018
- Utility of abdominal skin plus subcutaneous fat and rectal mucosal biopsy in the diagnosis of AL amyloidosis with renal involvementPLOS ONE, 2017
- The performance of telescoping fat pad biopsies for detecting systemic amyloidosis: a four and a half year retrospective analysis and brief review of the fine needle aspiration literatureJournal of Cutaneous Pathology, 2016
- Guidelines on the diagnosis and investigation of AL amyloidosisBritish Journal of Haematology, 2014
- Detection of amyloid in abdominal fat pad aspirates in early amyloidosis: Role of electron microscopy and Congo red stained cell block sectionsCytojournal, 2011
- Diagnosis and typing of systemic amyloidosis: The role of abdominal fat pad fine needle aspiration biopsyCytojournal, 2009
- Subcutaneous fat tissue for diagnosis and studies of systemic amyloidosisActa Histochemica, 2006
- Fine‐needle aspiration of abdominal fat pad for amyloid detection: A clinically useful test?Diagnostic Cytopathology, 2004