Histological findings in biopsies from patients with cytoplasmic-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (cANCA)-positive Wegener's granulomatosis

(1) Objective: Currently Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is diagnosed from cl inical features, a test for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) and histological confirmation. The purpose of our study was to evaluate histolo gical findings, in particular those in the biopsy samples of head and neck region. (2) Methods: Fifty-one biopsy specimens from 24 WG patients who wer e confirmed to be positive for cANCA were examined retrospectively. (3) Res ults: Only 12 biopsies out of 51 biopsies (24%) were diagnosed as typical o f WG, and diagnosis could be confirmed in only 10 patients (42%) as typical of WG from the results of multiple biopsy specimens. (4) Conclusion: In th e diagnosis of WG, biopsy can be utilized restrictedly only in the cases wh en cANCA is negative or clinical symptoms are atypical of WG. (C) 2001 Else vier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.