Congo red staining is a specific staining test indicating the deposition of amyloid protein in tissue. A positive result confirms the diagnosis of amyloidosis. The presence of the subtype of amyloidosis called light chain amyloid is critical determinant of outcome.
In contrast to non-light chain amyloidosis, light chain amyloidosis is treatable by systemic therapies that can reduce or eliminate the abnormal clones of plasma cells and the resulting increase in light chains, thus allowing for partial or complete reversal of the amyloid-related pathology. The agents used to treat light chain amyloidosis are very similar to those used for myeloma, which is also a plasma cell clonal abnormality.
Amyloidosis medical expert witness specialties include hematology, nephrology, cardiology, pathology, nephrology, pulmonology, thoracic surgery, internal medicine, family medicine, hospitalist medicine and critical care medicine.