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

(1) Objective: Currently Wegenerʹs granulomatosis (WG) is diagnosed from clinical features, a test for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) and histological confirmation. The purpose of our study was to evaluate histological findings, in particular those in the biopsy samples of head and neck region. (2) Methods: Fifty-one biopsy specimens from 24 WG patients who were confirmed to be positive for cANCA were examined retrospectively. (3) Results: Only 12 biopsies out of 51 biopsies (24%) were diagnosed as typical of 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 the diagnosis of WG, biopsy can be utilized restrictedly only in the cases when cANCA is negative or clinical symptoms are atypical of WG.