Quantification of Mucosal Eosinophils for the Histopathologic Diagnosis of Eosinophilic Gastritis and Duodenitis: A Primer for Practicing Pathologists

Eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases, specifically eosinophilic gastritis and duodenitis, are chronic inflammatory conditions characterized by persistent gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and elevated levels of activated eosinophils in the GI tract. Both clinical and endoscopic findings are nonspecific, no clinical or histopathologic diagnostic guidelines are published, and disease awareness is low, both among clinicians and amongst pathologists, who tend to overlook mild or moderate increases in the density of eosinophils in GI biopsy specimens. Yet, evaluating and, at times, counting eosinophils in GI biopsies may have important clinical implications: the numbers of tissue eosinophils correlate with clinical manifestations, can be used as determinants of effective management, and are used to assess the effects of treatment. A most persuasive argument for providing a count rather than a value judgment is that patients read reports, understand numbers, and use them to help to understand the course of their disease. The objective of this primer is to provide pathologists with the tools to incorporate a quantitative assessment of eosinophilia in the diagnosis of gastric and duodenal biopsy specimens and to develop a systematic approach to their evaluation, counting, and reporting. To achieve this aim, we present our general approach to the biopsy (where to count), followed by details on the characteristics of a countable eosinophil (what to count), and provide with a set of suggestions on the counting methods (how to count). We conclude with suggestions on how to report GI tissue eosinophilia in a manner that alerts clinicians and prompts pertinent management steps.