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Flow Cytometry in Neoplastic Hematopathology: Morphologic-Immunophenotypic Correlation
Pathology (October 2006) 38(5), pp. 478–479
BOOK REVIEWS
Surgical and Medical Treatment in Art ALAN E. H. EMERY AND MARCIA L. H. EMERY. Royal Society of Medicine Press, London, 2006. ISBN 1-85315-695-7, Hardcover, pp. x+139, £45 This is a truly beautiful book, exquisitely illustrated and presented, that covers the nexus between medicine, surgery and art from an historical perspective. It is more likely the book you need to have time to read and drink coffee by while pondering the delights of the images and reading the accompanying text, which is both explanatory and yet challenging to the reader. Each age reveals the struggle man has with his own demise, yet his attempts by medical and surgical means to reverse any of the diseases that afflict us. The book’s jacket depicts in vivid detail Alonso de Sedano’s oil on wood painting of twin brothers Saints Cosmas and Damian amputating a diseased leg and grafting on the leg of a Moor. The book comprises 66 colour plates and 66 short essays, commencing in ancient Egypt, and progressing through Greek, Chinese, Mediaeval and Renaissance periods through to modern times. The essays are at once tidy reminders of the state of medicine and surgery at those times, and yet eclectic ruminations of historical intrigue as you journey through the book. Themes vary from anatomy, to war, epidemiology, religion, anaesthesia, antisepsis, to the depiction, perception and differentiation of trained and untrained surgeons and physicians. The futility or ineptitude of certain treatments, sense of helplessness in loved ones of sick individuals, depictions of quacks, and the simultaneous attraction and revulsion that disease states and treatments can engender in others are common themes. These universal medical themes permeate through to the present day, asking the reader to see the connections with all these images. For lovers of art and a refreshing sojourn about medicine and surgery, the suffering inflicted by disease, and the hope associated with treatment, I recommend this for your personal library. Books like this serve as a timely reminder that we are not at some epoch in medical science, but somewhere along a human journey all at once of joy, struggle and discovery, trying to reverse the inevitable trend towards mortality, whilst relieving or removing suffering for a time. Christopher J. Young Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Medical Centre, Camperdown, New South Wales Handbook of Placental Pathology: Second Edition ONA MARIE FAYEPETERSEN, DEBRA S. HELLER, VIJAY V. JOSHI. Taylor & Francis, London, 2006. ISBN 1-84214-232-1, Hardcover, pp. xiii+239, £135 This second edition is twelve years after the first and now consists of three expert authors. It is a handy 239-page text with 20 chapters, 15 tables, 115 sets of colour figures and 654 references. This is a timely revision, in close succession to the AFIP fascicle Placental Pathology by Kraus et al. published in 2004. This revision also coincides with the fifth edition of the voluminous reference text Pathology of the Human Placenta by Benirschke et al. The primary target reader is the general surgical pathologist. The secondary targets include clinicians and placental pathologists. The text has preserved the original format but with a chapter-based sequence now. The first seven short chapters are basic orientations including developmental and anatomical summaries, clinical indications and methods of placental examination. Chapters 8–10 constitute the main bulk, accounting for about 50% of the text, covering the gross and histological lesions of the placental disk. This is followed by chapters on lesions of the cord, membranes, decidua, obstetrical and medical diseases, fetal diseases, iatrogenic and traumatic lesions. The book ends with a final comment summarising the recommendations on the reporting of placentas by general surgical pathologists. The appendix consists of a reporting template for the placenta and the method of obtaining placental tissue for cytogenetic study. The text has fulfilled its stated purposes. It provides concise and updated information and practical guidelines on the reporting of placental pathology. There are good clinical correlations or orientation. The chapters on clinical data (Chapter 5) and indications (Chapter 6) would be useful for clinicians. The two main chapters on placental disk (Chapters 8 and 10) have maintained the commendable original format of ‘definition, gross features, histology, incidence, pathogenesis and significance’. This format is very useful for busy general surgical pathologists to locate the required
information. Unfortunately, this format is not adhered to in Chapter 9. New items have been added such as basal intervillous thrombi, maternal surface infarction, fetal thrombotic vasculopathy, etc. The section on fetomaternal haemorrhage (Chapter 8), which is not well-covered in most placental pathology monographs, is well presented and informative. The section on specific and non-specific villitis (Chapter 10) is highly commendable. The presentations are the state-of-the-art, concise, comprehensive and practical. The section on fungal villitis is nearly an exclusive coverage not seen in most other monographs. The majority of the figures are well taken and the references are updated including many citations from 2004. There are a few comments. The chapter contents are difficult to use, especially on the three main chapters (8–10) on the placental disk. Appropriate listing of subheadings as in the first edition is desirable. For a handbook, more tabular presentation of material in a comparing or contrasting manner would assist pathologists new to the field. Some very informative tables of the first edition such as ‘types of villi and their structure’ (first edition, table 1) and ‘histological assessment of the placenta’ (first edition, table 2) have been deleted. The lengthy legend of the new figure 38 on types of villi and their structure could be better presented in tabular form as in the original table 1. Reference tables and percentile graphs on placental weights and measures are lacking or insufficient. The text is also rather expensive, approaching that of the reference text by Benirschke. Overall, this is an invaluable handbook for the busy general surgical pathologist. The topics covered are the state-of-the-art, concise and practical. In many topics, the text is superior to the AFIP monograph. This text should be on the bench of every anatomical pathology department with duty in reporting placentas. Wai-Fu Ng Yan Chai Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital, Department of Pathology of Kowloon West Cluster Hospitals, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China Flow Cytometry in Neoplastic Hematopathology: MorphologicImmunophenotypic Correlation WOJCIECH GORCZYCA. Taylor & Francis, London, 2006. ISBN 1-84184-565-5, Hardcover, pp. xi+266, £125 Flow Cytometry in Neoplastic Haematopathology is a new text (first edition 2006), which may well find a favoured place in the libraries of haematologists interested in the diagnosis and assessment of haemopoietic malignancies. In his preface, Gorczyca describes the importance of a close correlation between the cytomorphological appearance and the flow cytometric immunophenotype in neoplastic haematology, aiming to explain the immunophenotypical profiles of common haemopoietic malignancies by use of pattern recognition. This is readily achieved by extensive use of scatter plots accompanied by high quality photomicrographs of the relevant morphology. The book is divided into 11 chapters spanning 266 pages. Chapters 1–5 provide general information (with specific examples) on the identification of clonal B cells, abnormal T cells, blasts, and the flow cytometric features of dyspoiesis. It also includes an introduction to gating strategies, with his preferred approach of side-scatter (SS) versus CD45 expression. These chapters are thorough and not only include excellent descriptions of the classical neoplastic patterns but also approaches to distinguish them from other malignant and benign conditions. The next two chapters are relatively brief. Significantly, however, Chapter 6 addresses the limitations of flow cytometry, whilst Chapter 7 contains a short description of most, but not all of the significant markers. The last four chapters encompass the majority of specific haematological malignancies and importantly are based upon the World Health Organization classification. Chapters include B cell lymphoproliferations, peripheral (mature/post-thymic) T cell lymphoproliferations, acute leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndrome/chronic myeloproliferative disorders. The main strength of the book is the extensive use of FC scatter plots, most often with accompanying high quality photomicrographs of the neoplastic pathology in peripheral blood, bone marrow, and lymph nodes. Frequent use is made of cytochemistry and immunocytochemistry to enhance the interpretation of the morphology. The scatter plot features of abnormal cell populations are clearly highlighted through use of colour,
ISSN 0031-3025 printed/ISSN 1465-3931 # 2006 Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia DOI: 10.1080/00313020600930887
BOOK REVIEWS
and other means, whilst the neoplastic conditions are often differentiated from one another, as well as from benign conditions, by direct comparisons. Appropriate use is made of tables and there is some limited illustration of other relevant investigations such as FISH, karyograms, and real time PCR. The text is easy to read yet comprehensive. Given the layout, there is some overlap between the chapters and some diseases are mentioned several times, but this was not thought to be a drawback as it contributed to understanding. Over 600 references are included although the index is relatively superficial. One criticism of this book is that it does not attempt to provide any information on other practical aspects of flow cytometry such as instrumentation, set up, data acquisition and quality control. To be fair, however, in his preface Gorczyca clearly refers the reader seeking such information to other sources. Similarly there is no attempt to cover flow
479
cytometric applications in non-neoplastic haematology in any significant detail. Overall we believe that this is a useful text, which fulfils its aim and provides an excellent description of the diagnostic aspects of flow cytometry in haematological malignancies. It would clearly be attractive to haematology trainees, as well as most haematologists whose practice involves the diagnosis and assessment of patients with haematological malignancies. ‘Flow cytometrists’ wishing to improve their morphological correlation may also find this book attractive. Nicholas Viiala and John Gibson Institute of Haematology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales
BOOK REVIEWS
Surgical and Medical Treatment in Art ALAN E. H. EMERY AND MARCIA L. H. EMERY. Royal Society of Medicine Press, London, 2006. ISBN 1-85315-695-7, Hardcover, pp. x+139, £45 This is a truly beautiful book, exquisitely illustrated and presented, that covers the nexus between medicine, surgery and art from an historical perspective. It is more likely the book you need to have time to read and drink coffee by while pondering the delights of the images and reading the accompanying text, which is both explanatory and yet challenging to the reader. Each age reveals the struggle man has with his own demise, yet his attempts by medical and surgical means to reverse any of the diseases that afflict us. The book’s jacket depicts in vivid detail Alonso de Sedano’s oil on wood painting of twin brothers Saints Cosmas and Damian amputating a diseased leg and grafting on the leg of a Moor. The book comprises 66 colour plates and 66 short essays, commencing in ancient Egypt, and progressing through Greek, Chinese, Mediaeval and Renaissance periods through to modern times. The essays are at once tidy reminders of the state of medicine and surgery at those times, and yet eclectic ruminations of historical intrigue as you journey through the book. Themes vary from anatomy, to war, epidemiology, religion, anaesthesia, antisepsis, to the depiction, perception and differentiation of trained and untrained surgeons and physicians. The futility or ineptitude of certain treatments, sense of helplessness in loved ones of sick individuals, depictions of quacks, and the simultaneous attraction and revulsion that disease states and treatments can engender in others are common themes. These universal medical themes permeate through to the present day, asking the reader to see the connections with all these images. For lovers of art and a refreshing sojourn about medicine and surgery, the suffering inflicted by disease, and the hope associated with treatment, I recommend this for your personal library. Books like this serve as a timely reminder that we are not at some epoch in medical science, but somewhere along a human journey all at once of joy, struggle and discovery, trying to reverse the inevitable trend towards mortality, whilst relieving or removing suffering for a time. Christopher J. Young Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Medical Centre, Camperdown, New South Wales Handbook of Placental Pathology: Second Edition ONA MARIE FAYEPETERSEN, DEBRA S. HELLER, VIJAY V. JOSHI. Taylor & Francis, London, 2006. ISBN 1-84214-232-1, Hardcover, pp. xiii+239, £135 This second edition is twelve years after the first and now consists of three expert authors. It is a handy 239-page text with 20 chapters, 15 tables, 115 sets of colour figures and 654 references. This is a timely revision, in close succession to the AFIP fascicle Placental Pathology by Kraus et al. published in 2004. This revision also coincides with the fifth edition of the voluminous reference text Pathology of the Human Placenta by Benirschke et al. The primary target reader is the general surgical pathologist. The secondary targets include clinicians and placental pathologists. The text has preserved the original format but with a chapter-based sequence now. The first seven short chapters are basic orientations including developmental and anatomical summaries, clinical indications and methods of placental examination. Chapters 8–10 constitute the main bulk, accounting for about 50% of the text, covering the gross and histological lesions of the placental disk. This is followed by chapters on lesions of the cord, membranes, decidua, obstetrical and medical diseases, fetal diseases, iatrogenic and traumatic lesions. The book ends with a final comment summarising the recommendations on the reporting of placentas by general surgical pathologists. The appendix consists of a reporting template for the placenta and the method of obtaining placental tissue for cytogenetic study. The text has fulfilled its stated purposes. It provides concise and updated information and practical guidelines on the reporting of placental pathology. There are good clinical correlations or orientation. The chapters on clinical data (Chapter 5) and indications (Chapter 6) would be useful for clinicians. The two main chapters on placental disk (Chapters 8 and 10) have maintained the commendable original format of ‘definition, gross features, histology, incidence, pathogenesis and significance’. This format is very useful for busy general surgical pathologists to locate the required
information. Unfortunately, this format is not adhered to in Chapter 9. New items have been added such as basal intervillous thrombi, maternal surface infarction, fetal thrombotic vasculopathy, etc. The section on fetomaternal haemorrhage (Chapter 8), which is not well-covered in most placental pathology monographs, is well presented and informative. The section on specific and non-specific villitis (Chapter 10) is highly commendable. The presentations are the state-of-the-art, concise, comprehensive and practical. The section on fungal villitis is nearly an exclusive coverage not seen in most other monographs. The majority of the figures are well taken and the references are updated including many citations from 2004. There are a few comments. The chapter contents are difficult to use, especially on the three main chapters (8–10) on the placental disk. Appropriate listing of subheadings as in the first edition is desirable. For a handbook, more tabular presentation of material in a comparing or contrasting manner would assist pathologists new to the field. Some very informative tables of the first edition such as ‘types of villi and their structure’ (first edition, table 1) and ‘histological assessment of the placenta’ (first edition, table 2) have been deleted. The lengthy legend of the new figure 38 on types of villi and their structure could be better presented in tabular form as in the original table 1. Reference tables and percentile graphs on placental weights and measures are lacking or insufficient. The text is also rather expensive, approaching that of the reference text by Benirschke. Overall, this is an invaluable handbook for the busy general surgical pathologist. The topics covered are the state-of-the-art, concise and practical. In many topics, the text is superior to the AFIP monograph. This text should be on the bench of every anatomical pathology department with duty in reporting placentas. Wai-Fu Ng Yan Chai Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital, Department of Pathology of Kowloon West Cluster Hospitals, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China Flow Cytometry in Neoplastic Hematopathology: MorphologicImmunophenotypic Correlation WOJCIECH GORCZYCA. Taylor & Francis, London, 2006. ISBN 1-84184-565-5, Hardcover, pp. xi+266, £125 Flow Cytometry in Neoplastic Haematopathology is a new text (first edition 2006), which may well find a favoured place in the libraries of haematologists interested in the diagnosis and assessment of haemopoietic malignancies. In his preface, Gorczyca describes the importance of a close correlation between the cytomorphological appearance and the flow cytometric immunophenotype in neoplastic haematology, aiming to explain the immunophenotypical profiles of common haemopoietic malignancies by use of pattern recognition. This is readily achieved by extensive use of scatter plots accompanied by high quality photomicrographs of the relevant morphology. The book is divided into 11 chapters spanning 266 pages. Chapters 1–5 provide general information (with specific examples) on the identification of clonal B cells, abnormal T cells, blasts, and the flow cytometric features of dyspoiesis. It also includes an introduction to gating strategies, with his preferred approach of side-scatter (SS) versus CD45 expression. These chapters are thorough and not only include excellent descriptions of the classical neoplastic patterns but also approaches to distinguish them from other malignant and benign conditions. The next two chapters are relatively brief. Significantly, however, Chapter 6 addresses the limitations of flow cytometry, whilst Chapter 7 contains a short description of most, but not all of the significant markers. The last four chapters encompass the majority of specific haematological malignancies and importantly are based upon the World Health Organization classification. Chapters include B cell lymphoproliferations, peripheral (mature/post-thymic) T cell lymphoproliferations, acute leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndrome/chronic myeloproliferative disorders. The main strength of the book is the extensive use of FC scatter plots, most often with accompanying high quality photomicrographs of the neoplastic pathology in peripheral blood, bone marrow, and lymph nodes. Frequent use is made of cytochemistry and immunocytochemistry to enhance the interpretation of the morphology. The scatter plot features of abnormal cell populations are clearly highlighted through use of colour,
ISSN 0031-3025 printed/ISSN 1465-3931 # 2006 Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia DOI: 10.1080/00313020600930887
BOOK REVIEWS
and other means, whilst the neoplastic conditions are often differentiated from one another, as well as from benign conditions, by direct comparisons. Appropriate use is made of tables and there is some limited illustration of other relevant investigations such as FISH, karyograms, and real time PCR. The text is easy to read yet comprehensive. Given the layout, there is some overlap between the chapters and some diseases are mentioned several times, but this was not thought to be a drawback as it contributed to understanding. Over 600 references are included although the index is relatively superficial. One criticism of this book is that it does not attempt to provide any information on other practical aspects of flow cytometry such as instrumentation, set up, data acquisition and quality control. To be fair, however, in his preface Gorczyca clearly refers the reader seeking such information to other sources. Similarly there is no attempt to cover flow
479
cytometric applications in non-neoplastic haematology in any significant detail. Overall we believe that this is a useful text, which fulfils its aim and provides an excellent description of the diagnostic aspects of flow cytometry in haematological malignancies. It would clearly be attractive to haematology trainees, as well as most haematologists whose practice involves the diagnosis and assessment of patients with haematological malignancies. ‘Flow cytometrists’ wishing to improve their morphological correlation may also find this book attractive. Nicholas Viiala and John Gibson Institute of Haematology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales