The Part 4 of ” Similes & Metaphors of Pathology” is here. ENJOY LEARNING 🙂
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More interesting ones to come in Part 5!….
Comments and suggestions are welcome.
 Tear Drop |
 Tear drop cells ( source) |
Tear drop cells is a type of poikilocyte that is shaped like a teardrop. Also known as Dacrocyte.
Seen in disorders with altered splenic or bone marrow structure eg ; myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasiaAlso seen in Thalassemia, myelophthisic anemia & megaloblastic anemia |
 Ground glass |
 Ground Glass Nuclei in Papillary carcinoma thyroid ( source ) |
Ground glass nuclei are an important finding in the diagnosis of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid and appear only in specimens in paraffin-embedded histological sections.It is a descriptor for homogenous translucency of the nucleus. In other words it looks optically clear.Though they are an artifact of fixation and/or embedding, yet it is considered as characteristic feature of papillary carcinomas of the thyroid. |
 Copper penny |
 Sclerotic cells, also known as Medlar bodies/copper pennies. ( source) |
Chromoblastomycosis: on examination these fungal elements appear as thick-walled, cigar-colored, sclerotic cells, also known as Medlar bodies.These are more colorfully referred to as golden-brown septate “copper pennies |
 Cigar Bundle |
 Lepramatous leprosy (source) |
Lepramatous leprosy
Red coloured acid-fast bacilli on Ziehl-Nielsen staining in a skin smearThey appear as globi (big bunches of bacilli) which resembles “cigar bundle” |
 Chicken wire |
 Lace like fine calcification/chickenwire in Chondroblastoma ( source) |
Chickenwire: is a mesh of wire commonly used to fence poultry
Chondroblastoma: On histopathological examination, the calcification appears in between the tumor cells which is lace like fine calcification, also called as chickenwire calcification. |
 Sickle |
 Sickle cells ( source ) |
Sickle cells of sickle cell disease.It is an inherited hemoglobinopathy caused by a mutation in the sixth amino acid of the β-globin gene.it is one of the most common genetic diseases of childhood. |
 Tram track |
 Tram track appearance in MPGN ( source ) |
Tram tracks consist of two parallel steelrails, used for tramways or light rail operations.Tram tracking appearance in membrano proliferative glomerulolo nephritis.This occurs due to basement membrane duplication and on silver staining , it demonstrates double contour of the basement membranes which is also called as tram track appearance. |
 Salt and pepper |
The nuclei are round with coarsely granular stippled salt and pepper chromatin with inconspicuous nuclei in phaechromocytoma.(source ) |
Salt and pepper chromatin.Here the nuclei demonstrates a granular chromatin on microscopy. Also referred to as salt and pepper nuclei with stippled chromatin.
It is found in neuroendocrine tumors, medullary carcinoma and phaechromocytoma |
 Barley water |
Barley is cereal grain with a rich nutlike flavor and resembles wheat .Barley water is prepared by boiling grain in water.
Spermatocele: This is a retention cyst, due to a diverticula of the epididymis and contains cloudy fluid which is filled with spermatazoa.This cloudy/milky fluid resembles that of barley water in appearance |
|
 Sieve |
 Sieve like nuclei of Megaloblast ( source ) |
Sieve like immature nucleus of magaloblast in megaloblastic anemiaNuclear chromatin condensation is an essential step prior to the division of nucleus in blast cells. In deficiencies of B12 and folate( DNA maturation factors), the nuclear chromatin remains dispersed like a Sieve.In megaloblastic anemia, the nuclear maturation is slow where as cytoplamic maturation is normal.
So the erythroblast is larger than normal and has a Sieve like nucleus with the cytoplasm having premature hemoglobinization. This is a megaloblast |
