The AgNOR technique, PCNA immunohistochemistry, and DNA ploidy in the evaluation of choroid plexus biopsy specimens.

The histologic distinctions between normal choroid plexus and choroid plexus papilloma and between choroid plexus papilloma and choroid plexus carcinoma are sometimes difficult. The authors performed the silver nucleolar organizer region (AgNOR) technique, immunohistochemistry for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and DNA ploidy analysis by flow cytometry on 9 samples of normal choroid plexus, 8 papillomas, and 13 carcinomas to evaluate whether these techniques can aid in these differential diagnoses. Significant differences were found in the mean AgNOR count between normal choroid plexus (1.35 +/- 0.11) and choroid plexus papillomas (2.42 +/- 0.81) (P < 0.001), but not between choroid plexus papillomas and carcinomas. In the normal choroid plexus, AgNORs were smooth and round; in the papillomas and carcinomas, however, they varied in size and shape. Compound AgNORs were commonly present in the tumors but were essentially absent in controls. Antibody to PCNA did not stain normal choroid plexus cells (except for focal staining in one sample of normal choroid plexus adjacent to a carcinoma) but stained many papilloma and carcinoma cells. DNA ploidy analysis demonstrated aneuploidy in some papillomas and carcinomas but could not be used for the distinction of normal choroid plexus from papillomas. These results suggested that the AgNOR technique and PCNA immunohistochemistry could be used to distinguish normal choroid plexus from choroid plexus papilloma in small, diagnostically difficult biopsy specimens.