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Head and Neck Pathology

of

the

 Head and Neck

An Overview of

Head & Neck Topics...

Squamous Lesions

Salivary

Glands

Nasal Cavity & Sinuses

Thyroid & Parathyroid 

Oral Cavity & Oropharynx

Ear &

Temporal Bone

Pharynx & Larynx

Mandible & Maxilla

Squamous Lesions

Benign

  • Candidiasis

  • Leuko/Erythroplakia

  • Lichen Planus

  • Vesiculobullous Dz

  • Epulis

  • Granular Cell Tumor

  • Pyogenic Granuloma

Dysplastic

  • Reactive changes

  • Low grade dysplasia

  • High grade dysplasia

Malignant

  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma

    • Keratinizing​

      • Traditional SCC​

    • Non-Keratinizing

      • HPV (Oropharynx)​

      • EBV (Nasopharynx)

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Candidiasis

High Yield Factoids...

  • aka "Oral Thrush"

  • Most common oral fungal infection, often by Candida albicans

  • Commonly described as being a  plaque in the oral cavity (tongue, mouth, esophagus) that can be "wiped off" with scraping

    • Hence the "pseudomembrane" descriptor​ often used

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  • Thickened epithelium

  • Broad rete

  • Neutrophils on surface

  • Yeast & Pseudohyphae piercing the squamous epithelium

  • Flaking/Flakey squamous "tufts"

  • "Shish-ka-bob" of fungal pseudophyphae "spearing" the squamous epithelium

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Candida on surface epithelium of oral ca
Candida yeast and pseudohyphae
Candida
Candida on surface epithelium of oral ca
Candida yeast and pseudohyphae
Candida
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Leuko/Erythro- plakia

High Yield Factoids...

  • These are clinical terms to describe the appearance of a plaque

    • LEUKOplakia= WHITE plaque

    • ERYTHROplakia= RED plaque

    • Leukoerythroplakia= Red & White

  • Usually present on the lateral tongue​

  • Can represent infection, hyperkeratosis, hyperplasia, dysplasia, or even cancer

  • Oral hairy leukoplakia (shown right) occurs in HIV patients and is associated with EBV (Epstein Barr Virus)

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​ORAL HAIRY LEUKOPLAKIA

  • Hyperkeratosis & Hyperplasia of squamous mucosa

  • Balloon cells in spinous layer (clear cytoplasm, large, marginated chromatin)

  • Little inflammation 

  • Decreased langerhans cells

Click any image below to view this example of Oral Hairy Leukoplakia

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Oral Hairy Leukoplakia
Oral Hairy Leukoplakia
Oral Hairy Leukoplakia
Oral Hairy Leukoplakia
Oral Hairy Leukoplakia
Oral Hairy Leukoplakia
Oral Hairy Leukoplakia
Oral Hairy Leukoplakia
Oral Hairy Leukoplakia
Oral Hairy Leukoplakia
Oral Hairy Leukoplakia
Oral Hairy Leukoplakia
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Lichen Planus

High Yield Factoids...

  • Autoimmune mucositis

  • Commonly presents in a young (middle-aged) female

  • Often asymptomatic, but clinically the lesion is termed "Wickham's striae"

    • Raised white streaks/lesions (hyperkeratotic portion)​ on a red (erythematous) background

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  • Sawtooth rete ridges

  • Subepithelial "Band-like" infiltrate with chronic inflammation

  • Clinically, this presents as "Wickham's striae" 

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Lichen Planus
Lichen Planus
Lichen planus
Lichen planus
Lichen planus
Lichen Planus
Lichen Planus
Lichen planus
Lichen planus
Lichen planus

MORE COMING SOON...

(when I find the time to post and whatnot)

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