Histopathologic Concerns and Diagnostic Challenges in Hirschsprung’s Disease: An Eastern European Single-Center Observational Study

Background: We proposed a comprehensive clinicopathological study involving the characterization of the study cohort and a comparative analysis of biopsies and surgical specimens from patients with Hirschsprung’s disease. The study was complemented by the diagnostic value of calretinin, CD56, and S-...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Emőke Horváth, Zoltán Derzsi, Eliza Löckli, Gyopár-Beáta Molnár, Zsolt Bara, Evelyn Kovács, Horea Gozar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Life
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/3/329
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850205251533012992
author Emőke Horváth
Zoltán Derzsi
Eliza Löckli
Gyopár-Beáta Molnár
Zsolt Bara
Evelyn Kovács
Horea Gozar
author_facet Emőke Horváth
Zoltán Derzsi
Eliza Löckli
Gyopár-Beáta Molnár
Zsolt Bara
Evelyn Kovács
Horea Gozar
author_sort Emőke Horváth
collection DOAJ
description Background: We proposed a comprehensive clinicopathological study involving the characterization of the study cohort and a comparative analysis of biopsies and surgical specimens from patients with Hirschsprung’s disease. The study was complemented by the diagnostic value of calretinin, CD56, and S-100 immunohistochemistry. Methods: Descriptive statistical analysis of diagnostic variables in the group of biopsy specimens (n = 32) and bowel resection specimens (n = 16) was performed. The pattern of calretinin and CD56 expression in Meissner’s plexus elements was analyzed and the maximum thicknesses of the nerve fibers were measured using morphometry with S100-immunostained sections. Conclusions: Coupled calretinin–CD56 immunohistochemistry is useful in diagnosing ganglion cell paucity biopsies or specimens with incomplete submucosa. In cases where there are no ganglion cells but there are calretinin-positive nerve fibrils in the lamina propria without nerve trunk (NT) hypertrophy, re-biopsy is the best solution. The significant differences in NT size between biopsies and surgical specimens highlight the importance of assessing NT diameter in all tissue samples examined.
format Article
id doaj-art-e415607ed22f40a0a10a07f9cf660b2d
institution OA Journals
issn 2075-1729
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Life
spelling doaj-art-e415607ed22f40a0a10a07f9cf660b2d2025-08-20T02:11:08ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292025-02-0115332910.3390/life15030329Histopathologic Concerns and Diagnostic Challenges in Hirschsprung’s Disease: An Eastern European Single-Center Observational StudyEmőke Horváth0Zoltán Derzsi1Eliza Löckli2Gyopár-Beáta Molnár3Zsolt Bara4Evelyn Kovács5Horea Gozar6Department of Pathology, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, RomaniaDepartment of Pediatric Surgery and Orthopedics, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, RomaniaGeorge Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, RomaniaPathology Service, Targu Mures, County Emergency Clinical Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, RomaniaDepartment of Pediatric Surgery and Orthopedics, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, RomaniaClinic of Pediatric Surgery and Orthopedics, Targu Mures, County Emergency Clinical Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, RomaniaDepartment of Pediatric Surgery and Orthopedics, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, RomaniaBackground: We proposed a comprehensive clinicopathological study involving the characterization of the study cohort and a comparative analysis of biopsies and surgical specimens from patients with Hirschsprung’s disease. The study was complemented by the diagnostic value of calretinin, CD56, and S-100 immunohistochemistry. Methods: Descriptive statistical analysis of diagnostic variables in the group of biopsy specimens (n = 32) and bowel resection specimens (n = 16) was performed. The pattern of calretinin and CD56 expression in Meissner’s plexus elements was analyzed and the maximum thicknesses of the nerve fibers were measured using morphometry with S100-immunostained sections. Conclusions: Coupled calretinin–CD56 immunohistochemistry is useful in diagnosing ganglion cell paucity biopsies or specimens with incomplete submucosa. In cases where there are no ganglion cells but there are calretinin-positive nerve fibrils in the lamina propria without nerve trunk (NT) hypertrophy, re-biopsy is the best solution. The significant differences in NT size between biopsies and surgical specimens highlight the importance of assessing NT diameter in all tissue samples examined.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/3/329aganglionosiscalretininCD56 and S-100 immunohistochemistrynerve trunk hypertrophydiagnostic algorithm in rectal biopsies
spellingShingle Emőke Horváth
Zoltán Derzsi
Eliza Löckli
Gyopár-Beáta Molnár
Zsolt Bara
Evelyn Kovács
Horea Gozar
Histopathologic Concerns and Diagnostic Challenges in Hirschsprung’s Disease: An Eastern European Single-Center Observational Study
Life
aganglionosis
calretinin
CD56 and S-100 immunohistochemistry
nerve trunk hypertrophy
diagnostic algorithm in rectal biopsies
title Histopathologic Concerns and Diagnostic Challenges in Hirschsprung’s Disease: An Eastern European Single-Center Observational Study
title_full Histopathologic Concerns and Diagnostic Challenges in Hirschsprung’s Disease: An Eastern European Single-Center Observational Study
title_fullStr Histopathologic Concerns and Diagnostic Challenges in Hirschsprung’s Disease: An Eastern European Single-Center Observational Study
title_full_unstemmed Histopathologic Concerns and Diagnostic Challenges in Hirschsprung’s Disease: An Eastern European Single-Center Observational Study
title_short Histopathologic Concerns and Diagnostic Challenges in Hirschsprung’s Disease: An Eastern European Single-Center Observational Study
title_sort histopathologic concerns and diagnostic challenges in hirschsprung s disease an eastern european single center observational study
topic aganglionosis
calretinin
CD56 and S-100 immunohistochemistry
nerve trunk hypertrophy
diagnostic algorithm in rectal biopsies
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/3/329
work_keys_str_mv AT emokehorvath histopathologicconcernsanddiagnosticchallengesinhirschsprungsdiseaseaneasterneuropeansinglecenterobservationalstudy
AT zoltanderzsi histopathologicconcernsanddiagnosticchallengesinhirschsprungsdiseaseaneasterneuropeansinglecenterobservationalstudy
AT elizalockli histopathologicconcernsanddiagnosticchallengesinhirschsprungsdiseaseaneasterneuropeansinglecenterobservationalstudy
AT gyoparbeatamolnar histopathologicconcernsanddiagnosticchallengesinhirschsprungsdiseaseaneasterneuropeansinglecenterobservationalstudy
AT zsoltbara histopathologicconcernsanddiagnosticchallengesinhirschsprungsdiseaseaneasterneuropeansinglecenterobservationalstudy
AT evelynkovacs histopathologicconcernsanddiagnosticchallengesinhirschsprungsdiseaseaneasterneuropeansinglecenterobservationalstudy
AT horeagozar histopathologicconcernsanddiagnosticchallengesinhirschsprungsdiseaseaneasterneuropeansinglecenterobservationalstudy