CASE 52 (June 2010)

Clinical information

A 56-year-old man presented with edema, which had developed over the previous months. Laboratory evaluation revealed proteinuria 3.8 g/24h, hypoalbuminemia (2.4 g/dL). No hematuria. Serum creatinine level of 1.2 mg/dL.

A renal biopsy was done, and a diagnosis of membranous nephropathy was made on the basis of the histology findings. This biopsy was studied without immunofluorescence.

We received, to interconsultation, the histological slides (H&E, Masson's trichrome, methenamine-silver and PAS) and the block of paraffin-embedded tissue.

See the images. What is your presumptive diagnosis? Would you suggest other stainings?

Figure 1. H&E, X100.

Figure 2. H&E, X400.

Figure 3. Methenamine-silver stain, X400.

Figure 4. Methenamine-silver stain, X400.

Figure 5. Methenamine-silver stain, X400.

Figure 6.Masson's trichrome stain, X200.

Figure 7. Masson's trichrome stain, X400.

Do you have a presumptive diagnosis?

What other techniques would you suggest on new sections of the paraffin-embedded tissue?

See diagnosis and discussion

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