Manufactured Cell Blocks: Turning Smears into Sections

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-34
Author(s):  
Alexandra Kang ◽  
Alina Miranda ◽  
Bastiaan de Boer

Whilst cytological smears are still the basis of cytodiagnosis, there is an increasing role for ancillary testing. Specimens obtained are not always optimal, often with limited material for ancillary studies. Several reports have described the utility of scraping material from cytological smears to manufacture cell blocks to provide material for ancillary studies. Our objective was a retrospective review of the PathWest (QE2) experience with manufactured cell blocks (mCB) over the last 10 years. A total of 178 fine-needle aspiration cases with mCB were extracted from the PathWest database. Data were subdivided into: lymph node (89), breast (31), thyroid (23), soft tissue (13), liver (11), and other sites (11) and were analysed. All available material was reviewed. Diagnostic material was identified in 163 mCB (91.6%). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on 149 cases. Positive IHC staining was seen in 139 cases (93.3%) and advanced the diagnosis in 119 cases (79.9%). Molecular studies were performed on 38 mCB with adequate DNA obtained in 37 cases (97.3%). Our review has demonstrated that cellular material scraped from air-dried or prefixed smears can be made into cell blocks. Antigen preservation is adequate to provide diagnostically useful results with IHC whilst DNA integrity is preserved to allow molecular analysis.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Héctor Enrique Torres Rivas ◽  
Karen Villar Zarra ◽  
Lisseth Andrea Pérez Pabón ◽  
María de la Paz González Gutierréz ◽  
Nuria Zapico Ortiz ◽  
...  

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> The Sydney system proposal for the study and reporting of lymphadenopathy by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) constitutes one of the first attempts to standardize this procedure. Here, we review its applicability. <b><i>Materials and Methods:</i></b> A retrospective study in which all ultrasound-guided FNAs (USFNAs) of superficial lymphadenopathy (palpable or not) performed by interventional pathologists in 2 specialized hospital centers were quantified over 2 years. The procedure was systematized, and the diagnoses were reclassified according to the Sydney system categories. <b><i>Results:</i></b> We analyzed 363 USFNAs of lymphadenopathies. The distribution of cases by categories was as follows: insufficient (<i>n</i> = 13; 3.58%), benign (<i>n</i> = 208; 57.30%), atypia of uncertain significance (<i>n</i> = 7; 1.93%), suspicious (<i>n</i> = 21; 5.79), and malignant (<i>n</i> = 114; 31.40%). The risks of malignancy calculated for categories I, II, III, IV, and V were 27%, 3%, 50%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The implementation of the Sydney system allows the systematization and standardization of the lymph node FNA methodology, with increased efficacy and efficiency. Assimilating the recommendations enables the qualification of the diagnostic procedure.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Cong-Gai Huang ◽  
Meng-Ze Li ◽  
Shao-Hua Wang ◽  
Xiao-Qin Tang ◽  
Johannes Haybaeck ◽  
...  

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> We intend to determine the diagnostic power of fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) for differentiation between malignant and benign lesions on axillary masses and draw the physicians’ attention to the benefits of FNAB cytology in the diagnosis of axillary masses. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> In this study, 1,328 patients with an axillary mass diagnosed by FNAB were retrospectively reviewed. These cases were registered at the affiliated hospital of Southwest Medical University (China), July 2014 to June 2017. Cytological results were verified either by histopathology following surgical resection or clinical follow-up. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Of the 1,328 patients affected by axillary masses, 987 (74.3%) cases were female, and 341 (25.7%) cases were male. The highest incidence of patients was in the age group of 41–50 years (375, 28.2%). There were 1,129 (85.0%) patients with benign lesions and 199 (15.0%) with malignant lesions. Of the 199 malignant lesions cases, 21 cases were lymphomas, 2 cases were accessory breast cancers, and 176 cases were lymph node metastatic tumors. Under lymph node metastases, the most frequent primary tumors were breast cancer (141, 80.1%), followed by lung cancer (21, 11.9%). According to the study, the characters of 1,328 cases showed statistically significant difference (χ<sup>2</sup> = 4.534, <i>p</i> = 0.033), and the incidence of females with axillary mass was significantly higher than that of males. There was a statistically significant difference in the distribution of benign and malignant cases in the patient age groups (χ<sup>2</sup> = 1.129, <i>p</i> = 0.000), and the incidence of patients of 41–50 years of age was significantly higher than that of other patients. The diagnostic accuracy of FNAB in axillary masses was analyzed with the results of 95.98% of sensitivity, 99.56% of specificity, 97.45% of positive predictive value, and 99.29% of negative predictive value. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Our results confirm that FNAB is a valuable initial screening method regarding pathologic diagnosis of axillary mass, in particular with respect to malignancy in 41- to 50-year-old female patients.


2001 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alka A. Thool ◽  
Wamanrao K. Raut ◽  
Vibha R. Lele ◽  
Sudhakarrao K. Bobhate

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