We report the results of an evaluation of the LIAISON Treponema pallidum-specific assay, a one-step sandwich chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA), as a screening test and as a confirmatory test for the diagnosis of syphilis. The assay was compared with the CAPTIA Syphilis-G enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and with a testing algorithm that also included the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and T. pallidum particle agglutination (PA) assays. As a screening test, the CLIA showed levels of agreement with the EIA and with the algorithm, respectively, of 94.1 and 100% for 51 samples from patients with primary or secondary syphilis, 93.2 and 98.7% for 999 samples sent to the laboratory for routine syphilis testing, 84.5 and 94.0% for 200 samples from human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients, 98.0 and 100% for 200 samples from pregnant patients, and 94.3 and 98.3% for 992 samples from apparently healthy adults. As a confirmatory test, the CLIA showed 99% agreement with the EIA for 204 RPR-positive samples. After resolution with further T. pallidum PA testing and the discarding of one sample of insufficient quantity, there was 100% agreement for the remaining 203 samples. For the total group of 2,645 samples, the overall relative sensitivity was 95.8% and the relative specificity was 99.1%. We conclude that the LIAISON CLIA demonstrated excellent sensitivity and specificity when evaluated as a confirmatory test and as a screening test for syphilis among various patient populations, including specific populations with reportedly increased rates of false-positive nontreponemal test results.

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The objective of this study is to assess the utility of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in the diagnosis and staging of colorectal cancer. The study includes patients who underwent EUS-FNA at our institution for staging of colorectal carcinoma or for evaluation peri-rectal masses or distal metastases from August 2000 to November 2010. We assessed the frequency with which EUS-FNA procedure confirms the diagnosis of malignancy and the percent of cases in which it modifies staging of colorectal carcinoma. Using histology as a reference standard, we also assessed the diagnostic performance. We identified 79 cases of EUS-FNA from 77 patients, mean (SD) age of 60 (12.5), 44 males. Twenty-seven (34%) aspirates were from patients with primary rectal/peri-rectal masses, 15 (19%) were from patients with suspected regional lymph node metastasis, and 37 (47%) were cases of suspected of distal metastasis. All lesions were clinically suspicious for primary or metastatic colorectal carcinoma. On cytologic examinations, 43 (54%) cases were confirmed as malignant, 6 (8%) were benign neoplasms, 4 (5%) were suspicious for malignant neoplasm, 2 (3%) showed atypical cells, and the rest 24 (30%) were negative for neoplasms. Fourteen of 27 (52%) of the local rectal masses were confirmed as colorectal carcinoma. Eleven of 15 (73%) regional lymph nodes were positive for metastasis-all, but two of these metastases, were of colorectal origin. Twenty of 37(54%) distal lesions were metastatic neoplasms and 15 of those were colorectal in origin. Diagnosis of primary colorectal carcinoma was confirmed in 52% of the clinically suspicious primary lesions and in 42% regional or distal metastatic lesions. Using histology as a reference standard in 27 of 79 (29%) cases, we calculated an overall sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values (C.I) of EUS-FNA of 89% (74-100%), 79% (50-100%) 89% (74-100%), and 79% (51-100%). EUS-FNA is useful for assessing primary and metastatic colorectal lesion. This technique improves staging of suspected nodal or distant metastases.

The fibrolamellar variant of hepatocellular carcinoma (FL-HCC) is distinguished from other hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) by its unique clinical and pathologic features. Cytological features for this tumor on fine needle aspiration (FNA) of primary tumors have been described earlier. We present here a unique case of metastatic FL-HCC diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) of mediastinal adenopathy. A 32-year-old woman with a history of oral contraceptive use presented with nausea and severe abdominal pain but no ascites or stigmata of cirrhosis. She had a past history of resection of a liver lesion. Serial computed tomography scans revealed mediastinal lymphadenopathy and the patient was referred for endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). A transesophageal EUS-FNA was performed and tissue was collected for cytological evaluation by an on-site pathologist with no knowledge of prior history. Based on morphology correlated with prior history received later, a final diagnosis of metastatic FL-HCC in the retrocardiac lymph node was rendered on the EUS-FNA samples. There are very few reports in the literature where a diagnosis of FL-HCC is rendered at unusual sites. This case highlights that EUS-FNA is a relatively non-invasive, rapid, accurate and effective modality in obtaining tissue from otherwise hard-to-reach areas. It also suggests that metastasis of FL-HCC can be observed in mediastinal nodes and that diagnosis based on cytological features can be rendered even when the tumor is identified at unusual locations.