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Background: Thymic hyperplasia presents as an anterior mediastinal mass and poses important diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Two types of thymic hyperplasia are described: true hyperplasia and follicular hyperplasie. Literature data are peculiar concerning both entities. We aimed to describe the clinical and microscopic characteristics of thymic hyperplasia through a single institution experience during an 11-year-period., Methods: Thymic hyperplasia diagnosed during the period between 2009 and 2020 were included., Results: In all, 46 thymic hyperplasias were diagnosed. The 46 patients consisted in 33 women and 13 men with a mean age of 30 years. Microscopic diagnosis concluded to a follicular hyperplasia in 12 cases and a true thymic hyperplasia in 34 cases. The diagnosis of true thymic hyperplasia posed a diagnostic challenge with an involuted thymus in 1 case and a thymolipoma in 1 case. The confrontation with the clinical data allowed retaining the diagnosis., Conclusion: The diagnosis of thymic hyperplasia is based on microscopic features. The confrontation with clinical data and the measurements of the thymus according to the age allow to retain the diagnosis in most challenging cases., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Team-based learning (TBL) is an active method of learning aiming to the promotion of the teamwork and improvement of critical thinking. Students of our university weren't used to TBL. We tried to implement a learning session combining TBL and lectures., Methods: The study included residents in pathology. The learning scenario consisted in lectures followed by a TBL. Four steps characterized the learning scenario: an individual preparation based on resources made available in the internet by the tutors, an individual readiness assurance test (iRAT) performed during the first 15minutes of the session, a team readiness assurance test (tRAT) and a peer evaluation step. The final students' score was calculated by summing score A (iRAT weighted to 70%) and score C (derived by multiplying the score B [tRAT weighted to 30%] with percentage of peer evaluation). Anova test and Pearson coefficient were used to perform the statistical analyses., Results: Forty-one residents were included. We assessed an improvement of the tRAT in comparison to iRAT. The only correlations established were between the iRAT and the tRAT and the tRAT and the students' scores., Conclusion: Implementing TBL in medical universities may induce an improvement of the individual knowledge and a change in behaviourism., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: The malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare tumour usually associated to asbestos exposure. The delay between the exposure and the occurrence of the cancer can reach 40 years. This caused the pick of incidence described in many countries including Tunisia. The diagnosis is suspected based on clinical features but positive diagnosis is microscopic. Our aim was to describe the clinical and microscopic features of MPM through a single institution experience., Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study about 30 MPM diagnosed over a 20-year-period (1995-2015). We included only patients with complete records including clinical, radiologic and microscopic features. All the microscopic diagnoses were reviewed by 2 pathologists. A mean of 12 slides per case was reviewed. The diagnosis was based on the 2015 WHO classification., Results: The mean age of the patients was 61 years, average 22 to 80 years. The sex ratio was 6,5. An asbetose exposition was reported in 21 cases. The most frequent symptoms was chest pain reported in 25 cases. Physical exam was normal in 9 cases. It revealed pleural syndorm in most patients (60 %). Imaging findings consisted mainly in diffuse pleural thickening in 17 cases. Twelve tumours were classified as stage I, 3 stage II, 14 stage III et 1 stage IV. Pleural biopsy was performed using needle in 18 cases, through thoracoscopy in 16 cases, thoracotomy in 3 cases and allowed the diagnosis in respectively 7 cases/18, 16 cases/16 and 3 cases/3. A lymph node biopsy was performed through mediastinoscopy in one case and yelded the diagnosis. The diagnosis was performed on surgical specimen in 2 patients: one bullectomy and one right upper lobectomy. The microscopic exam concluded to an EM in 17 cases, sarcomatoid mesothelioma (SM) in 4 cases and biphasic mesothelioma (BM) in 9 cases. Pan-cytokeratin antibody was used in all cases in association with 2 antibodies with positive diagnostic value and 2 antibodies with negative diagnostic value. It was repeated in 15 cases and the most used antibodies were the anti-calretinin and the TTF1. This was due to the lack of fixation in one case and in order to reach a quality criteria in the other cases. Surgical resection was possible in 2 patients. 15 patients were lost of view after a mean follow-up period of 3 months. Thirteen patients died before or during the follow-up., Conclusion: This work was about a Tunisian experience in the diagnosis and management of MPM. The major limits faced were the incomplete databases, the small number of patients included. Microsocpic positive diagnosis necessitates a degree of expertise and every laboratory has to determine the most valuable antibodies through its experience in order to optimize the diagnosis and to reduce the delay of diagnosis., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The new classification of lung cancer contains modifications of terminology and a new subdivision of the tumors with the most relevant modifications concerning the group of adenocarcinomas. The latter has been increasing and represents nowadays the most frequent type. Our aim was to assess the reproducibility of the new classification through the experience of a Department of Pathology specialized in thoracic pathology., Methods: Our study included initially 106 cases diagnosed as adenocarcinomas and reviewed by 2 pathologists and 1 referee. Five cases were ruled out because they corresponded to squamous carcinoma according to the immunohistochemical findings. The same number of slides was reviewed without a limit of time. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS software. The Kappa index was estimated and a second coefficient: rho was analyzed., Results: A total concordance was noticed in 82 cases (81.2%) and a discordance was noticed in 19 cases (18.8%). The agreement degree was good with an index Kappa estimated to 0.743 and a rho index reaching 0.763., Conclusion: Our study highlights the good reproducibility of the 2015 WHO classification of lung cancer among a trained team. Whereas, in order to improve the reproducibility of such a classification, even in non specialised departments, a training of the pathologists is necessary in order to highlight the prognostic impact of this classification., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Diffuse interstitial pneumonias are considered as a group of multiple affections characterized by challenging diagnoses because of the lack of specific clinical signs. Radiologic investigations highlight the diagnoses in most of the cases but bronchoalveolar lavage plays a key role in the diagnostic diagram. We aim to compare the immunocytochemical technique and the flow cytometry in the phenotyping of lymphocytic alveolitis., Methods: We described a series of 32 lymphocytic alveolitis, which were analyzed using immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry., Results: We found a good reproducibility between the immunocytochemistry performed on smears and cytoblocks (kappa=0.7) and a poor reproducibility between immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry (kappa=0.35)., Conclusion: Our study emphasized on the poor reproducibility between immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry. Further studies about the reliability of both techniques are needed especially in discordant cases., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Fibrous dysplasia of bone is a rare benign lesion characterized by the coexistence of a fibrous tissue and an immature osteogenesis. Costal localization is rare and may be monostotic or polyostotic. The diagnosis may be suspected based on clinical and radiological findings. Facing the development of radiological investigations, we tried to highlight the diagnostic role of the microscopic examination through the experience of our department., Methods: We describe a retrospective study about 12 costal fibrous dysplasias diagnosed over a 17-year-period. Clinical records were retrieved from the department of thoracic surgery of the same hospital., Results: Costal fibrous dysplasia is equally observed in men and women with predominance in the third and fourth decades. Clinical symptoms consist mainly in chest pain. Physical examination was normal in almost all cases. Based on the radiological findings, the diagnosis was suspected in 33% of the cases. Microscopic examination highlighted the diagnosis in all cases but it was challenging in one case and necessitated a multi-disciplinary approach. The difficulties encountered were due to artifact decalcification., Conclusion: Costal fibrous dysplasia is a benign lesion which diagnosis is based on microscopic features. Radiologic investigations show nonspecific features but allow to rule out a malignant tumor. The outcome of the patients is generally good except in rare cases with a malignant transformation., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Primary tumors of the trachea are very rare. In adults, the majority of them are malignant. Schwannomas are exceedingly rare benign tumors in the tracheobronchial tree. We report a case of a 37-year-old man who was hospitalized for increasing dyspnea. He had been treated for bronchial asthma for the last 4 years with no benefit. The CT scan of the chest and bronchoscopy identified a tracheal mass that was prolapsed in the left stem bronchus. The patient did not remain free of disease after endoscopic laser resection. So, surgical resection was made. The tumor was excised at its base. A segment of the left stem bronchus was removed and primary anastomosis was performed. The histopathologic diagnosis was of a benign schwannoma without malignant elements. There was no recurrence during the follow-up period. This case demonstrates that intratracheal masses should be considered in patients with dyspnea or in patients with asthma refractory to conventional therapy., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Pulmonary amyloidoma or nodular amyloidosis is a localized form of amyloidosis, which can mimic a bronchopulmonary carcinoma. This form of amyloidosis may be associated to an infectious, a systemic disease or a lymphoma., Observation: We describe the case of a 36-year-old patient whose past medical history was consistent for a diabetes mellitus and a hypothyroidism treated by medical treatment. The patient presented a Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome and was explored for non-specific respiratory symptoms. Physical examination was normal. Laboratory tests revealed a monoclonal pic of immunoglobulin. Radiologic findings showed bilateral pulmonary nodules associated to mediastinal lymph nodes. A pulmonary biopsy was performed. Histologic examination revealed a tumoral nodule containing an abundant eosinophilic material, which was acellular and surrounded by a dense lymphomatous infiltrate destroying the pulmonary parenchyma. Histochemical and immunohistochemical study revealed an association of a nodular pulmonary amyloidosis with a MAT pulmonary lymphoma complicating a Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome., Conclusion: The association of MALT pulmonary lymphoma and localized amyloidosis is rarely observed in case of Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome. The pathogenesis of this association remains unknown and the management non-consensual because of the rarity of the cases reported. Whereas, it appears that localized amyloidosis associated to a MALT lymphoma seems to have a better prognosis than a disseminated amyloidosis., (Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Unlabelled: Costal primary tumors are rare and dominated by malignant tumors. Haemangioma of the bone represents only 1% of bone tumors. Costal localization accounts only for 1% of the cases and only about fifty cases have been reported in the literature., Aim: The authors aim to describe a rare costal tumor, its histological features and the main differential diagnoses., Observation: The authors describe the case of a 46-year-old woman who presented with chest pain. Radiological findings did not permit a malignant tumor to be ruled out and the treatment consisted of a resection of the posterior arch of the rib. Microscopic examination concluded that the patient had a costal haemangioma and the patient didn't present any recurrence after a six-year follow-up., Conclusion: The costal haemangioma is a very rare tumor with a debated etiology. Some radiological features are specific such as the "soap bubble" or "honeycomb" aspect. However, the basis for diagnosis remains microscopic examination. These tumors have a good prognosis and no cases of recurrence have been reported following complete resection., (Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)