title: Subcutaneous nodules in a patient hyposensitized with aluminium-containing allergen extracts: a microanalytical study.
abstract: Electron spectroscopic imaging (ESI) is a recent tool for electron microscopic analysis which permits the recognition of the distribution of elements in a specimen, with a spatial resolution up to 5 nm. The authors performed the ESI together with X-ray microanalysis (EDX) and transmission electron microscopy to study granulomatous subcutaneous nodules in a patient who had undergone a desensitising therapy with an aluminium-containing vaccine. Aluminium was detected both by EDX and ESI, mainly in lysosomes of histiocytes containing needle-shaped material in a lucent matrix. However, ESI provided a better localization of aluminium with respect to EDX. This result suggests that the identification of aluminium-containing structures cannot be obtained only by ultrastructural morphology and underlines the utility of a microanalitycal study for a correct diagnosis in the presence of a needle-shaped deposition of dense material in lysosomes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Normal Human Morphology, University of Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morroni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbatelli
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Carboni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sbarbati
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cinti
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D015745:Granuloma, Foreign-Body / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D000535:Aluminum