Biomaterial Database

Electron microscopy in the diagnosis of head and neck tumors. 1979

H Battifora, and E L Applebaum

Six patients with malignant head and neck tumors are shown to have required electron microscopy for accurate diagnosis. In all of these tumors, there were ultrastructural features of cytodifferentiation that were not discernible by light microscopy, such as neurosecretory granules, desmosomes, cytoplasmic processes, tonofibrils, and myofilaments. Electron microscopy is helpful in the differential diagnosis of tumors in general, but its effectiveness is particularly apparent in small-cell "undifferentiated" tumors such as neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, undifferentiated squamous-cell carcinoma of the lymphoepithelioma type, and malignant lymphoma. It has also been helpful in the identification of amelanotic melanoma and spindle-cell carcinoma.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008048	Lip Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the LIP.	Cancer of Lip,Lip Cancer,Cancer of the Lip,Neoplasms, Lip,Cancer, Lip,Cancers, Lip,Lip Cancers,Lip Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Lip
D008223	Lymphoma	A general term for various neoplastic diseases of the lymphoid tissue.	Germinoblastoma,Lymphoma, Malignant,Reticulolymphosarcoma,Sarcoma, Germinoblastic,Germinoblastic Sarcoma,Germinoblastic Sarcomas,Germinoblastomas,Lymphomas,Lymphomas, Malignant,Malignant Lymphoma,Malignant Lymphomas,Reticulolymphosarcomas,Sarcomas, Germinoblastic
D008297	Male		Males
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009447	Neuroblastoma	A common neoplasm of early childhood arising from neural crest cells in the sympathetic nervous system, and characterized by diverse clinical behavior, ranging from spontaneous remission to rapid metastatic progression and death. This tumor is the most common intraabdominal malignancy of childhood, but it may also arise from thorax, neck, or rarely occur in the central nervous system. Histologic features include uniform round cells with hyperchromatic nuclei arranged in nests and separated by fibrovascular septa. Neuroblastomas may be associated with the opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome. (From DeVita et al., Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology, 5th ed, pp2099-2101; Curr Opin Oncol 1998 Jan;10(1):43-51)	Neuroblastomas
D009669	Nose Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the NOSE.	Cancer of Nose,Nasal Neoplasms,Nose Cancer,Cancer of the Nose,Nasal Cancer,Neoplasms, Nose,Cancer, Nasal,Cancer, Nose,Cancers, Nasal,Cancers, Nose,Nasal Cancers,Nasal Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Nasal,Neoplasm, Nose,Neoplasms, Nasal,Nose Cancers,Nose Neoplasm
D010255	Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the PARANASAL SINUSES.	Cancer of Paranasal Sinus,Neoplasms, Paranasal Sinus,Paranasal Sinus Cancer,Cancer, Paranasal Sinus,Cancers, Paranasal Sinus,Neoplasm, Paranasal Sinus,Paranasal Sinus Cancers,Paranasal Sinus Neoplasm
D010307	Parotid Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the PAROTID GLAND.	Cancer of Parotid,Parotid Cancer,Cancer of the Parotid,Neoplasms, Parotid,Cancer, Parotid,Cancers, Parotid,Neoplasm, Parotid,Parotid Cancers,Parotid Neoplasm
D002294	Carcinoma, Squamous Cell	A carcinoma derived from stratified SQUAMOUS EPITHELIAL CELLS. It may also occur in sites where glandular or columnar epithelium is normally present. (From Stedman, 25th ed)	Carcinoma, Epidermoid,Carcinoma, Planocellular,Carcinoma, Squamous,Squamous Cell Carcinoma,Carcinomas, Epidermoid,Carcinomas, Planocellular,Carcinomas, Squamous,Carcinomas, Squamous Cell,Epidermoid Carcinoma,Epidermoid Carcinomas,Planocellular Carcinoma,Planocellular Carcinomas,Squamous Carcinoma,Squamous Carcinomas,Squamous Cell Carcinomas