title: Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase containing cells in nodular fasciitis, proliferative fasciitis, and proliferative myositis.
abstract: Five cases of nodular fasciitis, three cases of proliferative fasciitis, and one case of proliferative myositis were investigated by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) histochemistry on conventional paraffin-embedded material. In all cases varying numbers of enzyme-positive cells were detected. Cytological investigations revealed the presence of small round cells, elongated spindle cells, medium-sized mono- or binucleated cells, and multinuclear giant cells, the latter resembling osteoclasts. However, the typical ganglion-like cells were TRAP-negative in almost all tests. The TRAP-pattern may help to differentiate nodular fasciitis and allied lesions from inflammatory pseudotumours or organising haematomas, as the latter do not contain TRAP-positive cells. As TRAP appears to be a marker for a special population of phagocytizing and non phagocytizing histiocytes, nodular fasciitis and its proliferative variants may be assumed to be fibrohistiocytic tumorous conditions.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Mönchengladbach, FRG.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grouls
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hey
mesh_terms: D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000032:analysis*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005208:Fasciitis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006644:Histiocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009220:Myositis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D010587:Phagocytosis
chemical_list: D000135:Acid Phosphatase