[Clinicopathological and diagnostic study of amyloidosis of oral maxillofacial area].
OBJECTIVE
To study the clinicopathological features of amyloidosis studied in oral maxillofacial area and the diagnostic methods.


METHODS
HE staining and staining of alkaline Congo red, Immunohistochemical staining, Sections examined by transmitted and polarized light microscopy, Transmitted electron microscopy.


RESULTS
14 cases of the disease were reported. Clinically, the patients usually had progressive enlargement and solidness of the tongue (macroglossia, 12 cases), hard nodules or cords of the cheek and lip mucosa (8 cases), single or multiple hard masses of submandibular and submental areas (6 cases), and ecchymosis or petechiae of the face, neck, chest or oral mucosa. Microscopically, the disease is characterized by the even pink amyloid protein deposit in the soft tissues and the wall of blood vessles, which shows positive staining of alkaline Congo red, Immunohistochemical staining can differentiate the primary amyloidosis from secondary one. Ultrastructurally, Amyloid protein appeares as felt-like finely filament.


CONCLUSIONS
Amyloidosis involving in oral maxillofacial area mainly arise in tongue, less frequently, in buccal and lip mucosa, salivary glands. It is not difficulty to dignosis the disease by HE staining combining with staining of alkaline Congo red and other specific staining methods. Ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study is helpful to make show the dignosis.
Zhou
Z
Z
School of Stomatology, West China University of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, 610041.
Lu
Y
Y
Wu
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008439:Maxillary Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged