acid-phosphatase and Fasciitis

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.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Fasciitis; Female; Histiocytes; Histocytochemistry; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Male; Middle Aged; Myositis; Phagocytosis