Issues in Cytologic Screening and Evaluation (original) (raw)
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Context: Assigning grade to breast cancer on FNAC provides prognostic information and guides optimal therapy. Aims: The present study was undertaken to grade breast carcinoma on cytology by Robinson's grading system and correlate it with Elstons modified Bloom Richardson histological grading system.
Virchows Archiv, 2015
Double reading may be a valuable tool for improving the quality of patient care by restoring diagnostic errors before final sign-out, but standard double reading would significantly increase costs of pathology. The aim of this study was to assess the added value of routine double reading of defined categories of clinical cytology specimens by specialized cytopathologists. Specialized cytopathologists routinely re-diagnosed blinded defined categories of clinical cytology specimens that had been signed out by routine pathologists from January 2012 up to December 2013. Major and minor discordance rates between initial and expert diagnoses were determined, and both diagnoses were validated by comparison with same-site histological follow-up. Initial and expert diagnoses were concordant in 131/218 specimens (60.1 %). Major and minor discordances were present in 28 (12.8 %) and 59 (27.1 %) specimens, respectively. Pleural fluid, thyroid and urine specimens showed the highest major discordance rates (19.4, 19.2 and 16.7 %, respectively). Histological follow-up (where possible) supported the expert diagnosis in 95.5 % of specimens. Our implemented double reading strategy of defined categories of cytology specimens showed major discordance in 12.8 % of specimens. The expert diagnosis was sup-ported in 95.5 % of discordant cases where histological follow-up was available. This indicates that this double reading strategy is worthwhile and contributes to better cytodiagnostics and quality of patient care, especially for suspicious pleural fluid, thyroid and urine specimens. Our results emphasize that cytopathology is a subspecialization of pathology and requires specialized cytopathologists.
Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, 2018
Context.—Fine-needle aspiration cytology has been increasingly used as the first tool in the evaluation of several diseases. Although cytology has a relevant role in the discrimination between benign and malignant lesions, conventional slides cannot lead to 100% conclusive results. It was hoped that the introduction of liquid-based cytology (LBC) would improve the efficacy of cytology through standardization, quality improvement, and the possibility of carrying out ancillary techniques on the residual stored material. In recent decades, the application of genomic alterations has been studied on cytologic samples with feasible and reliable results. The molecular analysis offers a powerful aid to define the best clinical or surgical approaches and follow-up for patients. In recent years, the application of different ancillary techniques has been carried out on conventional slides even though LBC represents a useful additional and alternative method for molecular testing.Objective.—To ...
Polish Journal of Pathology, 2016
The progress in imaging methods enables fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy to be performed on smaller and smaller lesions, including malignant ones (papillary microcarcinomas). The follicular variant predominates in this group, with cytological features often not permitting an unbiased interpretation. The aim of the study was to determine the degree of reliability of the "suspicious for malignancy" (SM) diagnosis in material from the Institute of Oncology in Gliwice (IO). 290 primary SM diagnoses were established from 2010 to 2015 in the IO, including the consultations. None of the patients was treated surgically after the first FNA resulting in diagnostic category V (DC V). After the second FNA 80 patients underwent surgery, after the third 58, and after subsequent FNA 10. Together, 148 surgical resections were performed. Among 148 patients treated surgically, 111 were diagnosed with malignant lesions, which constitutes 75%. Predominantly-in 91 cases-the histopathological outcome was papillary carcinoma. The others were: 16 medullary carcinomas, 2 follicular carcinomas, and 2 poorly differentiated carcinoma cases. Moreover, 8 follicular adenomas and 28 nonneoplastic lesions were found. The high positive predictive value (PPV = 75%) of SM diagnosis established in the IO testifies to the high reliability of this test. Diagnostic category V in FNA should be an indication for surgical treatment.
2000
The improvement in quality of cytologic preparations with the use of the ThinPrep® methodology has been well-documented, but the cytologic artifacts resulting from this technique have not been adequately described. This study describes and illustrates the cytologic artifacts introduced by the ThinPrep technique when used on fine-needle aspirates (FNAs), and evaluates these artifacts as potential diagnostic pitfalls. We reviewed a total of 120 FNAs simultaneously processed by both conventional smears and ThinPrep. FNAs were obtained from the following sites: lymph node (27), breast (23), soft-tissue sites (20), salivary glands (13), gastrointestinal tract (10), lung (9), thyroid gland (13), liver (3), adrenal gland (1), and kidney (1). The ThinPrep smears were consistently devoid of obscuring elements, and the cells were adequately preserved and evenly dispersed. However, we noted some cytomorphologic alterations that should be recognized to avoid erroneous diagnoses. The size of cell clusters was decreased, large branching sheets were fragmented, and there were more single cells, resulting in apparent discohesion. Small cells such as lymphocytes tended to aggregate. All cells were generally smaller and occasionally spindled, the chromatin detail was attenuated, and nucleoli were more prominent. Intranuclear inclusions were difficult to visualize. Background matrix was often altered in both quantity and quality. Extracellular particles, small mononuclear cells, red blood cells, and myoepithelial cells were markedly decreased in number. The pathologist should be cautious in interpreting FNAs prepared using ThinPrep if that is the only methodology employed. Familiarity with artifacts is essential to avoid misinterpretations.
Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine, 2002
The College of American Pathologists Interlaboratory Comparison Program in Non-Gynecologic Cytopathology is a popular educational program for nongynecologic cytology, with 1018 participating laboratories by the end of 2000. Data generated from this program allow tracking pathologist performance in a wide variety of laboratory practices. To review performance of participating pathologists in making patient diagnoses with fine-needle aspiration biopsy specimens, with particular interest in the false neoplastic diagnoses (both benign and malignant neoplasms) that were submitted for benign aspirates containing only normal cellular components. We reviewed the diagnoses made from 1998 through 2000 by participating pathologists through the use of glass slides containing benign fine-needle aspiration biopsy specimens of the liver, kidney, pancreas, and salivary gland that contained only normal cellular components. The false neoplastic rate for kidney (60%) was the highest, followed by liver...
Mandatory second opinion in cytopathology
Cancer Cytopathology, 2009
BACKGROUND: Mandatory review of outside pathologic material is intended to detect interpretive errors that may have a clinically significant impact on patient care. Prior to definitive treatment of referred patients, the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine requires a review of pertinent pathologic material previously obtained at outside institutions. The aims of this study were to determine if this local standard of practice has a measurable impact on patient care. METHODS: The pathologic diagnoses of 499 second opinion cytology cases seen at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine were studied.
Recognition of basic cell types and criteria of malignancy
Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, 2002
A person examining cytologic preparations is often presented not only with a confusing array of different cell types but, often, with an endless variety of cell debris and contaminants as well. With experience, most of the common lesions are recognized quickly from memory. For the beginner, or even the experienced cytologist when confronted with a lesion or sample site not previously encountered, it is helpful to keep in mind certain fundamental questions that need to be considered when evaluating a sample. An orderly approach to examining slides and consideration of certain questions that can be answered based on cytology can reduce the chances of missing important information or of misdiagnosing or overdiagnosing the sample. Cells can usually be classified into one of a few basic categories based on common features shared by different cells in that category. Recognizing the common features of the different basic cell types makes it easier to identify cells that are not obviously recognized at first. Are sufficient numbers of well-stained intact cells present to evaluate? A basic premise of cytology is that interpretations are generally based on whole populations of cells rather than on individual cells. Any one cell or few cells from a lesion may show features that are atypical or unusual. This is especially true if cells are coming from a tissue in which the cells are not well preserved or have been exposed to injurious stimuli. Cells coming from inflammatory reactions or areas of tissue repair often show dysplastic or other atypical features. Cells from urine samples often have significant aging artifacts that could easily be misinterpreted.