Fine-catheter aspiration cytology of peritoneal cavity: a new system with potential for oncologic diagnosis

Diagnostic accuracy of pericardial fluid cytology: an analysis of 53 specimens from 44 consecutive patients

Over a 7-yr period, a total of 53 pericardial fluid specimens from 44 patients was examined. A correlation between cytological and histological diagnosis was made in 19 of these cases. In the remaining 25 cases, where a biopsy was not performed, the cytological diagnosis was correlated with the final clinical diagnosis and the patients' clinical outcome. Finally, in 9 out of 14 cases of malignancy where both cytological and a histological diagnosis was made, the cytologic prediction of the histologic type of cancer was evaluated. The overall sensitivity was 100%, the overall specificity was 93.3%, and the overall cytological accuracy was 95.4%. The predictive value of the correct histologic type of cancer by cytology was 77.7%. Our findings show that the careful cytomorphological examination of pericardial fluid aspirates is a valuable, reliable, and diagnostically highly accurate method, which could be performed on a routine basis in a busy cytopathology department. Judiciously chosen ancillary procedures, as well as clinicopathological correlation, are of great value for an accurate diagnosis in problematic cases.

Diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma of stomach using fine catheter aspiration cytology

The value of fine catheter aspiration cytology organs of the peritoneal cavity in the diagnosis of a metastatic carcinoma is illustrated by this case report. The finding of unequivocal malignant cells was quite unexpected and led to an investigation of the gastrointestinal tract which demonstrated a primary carcinoma in the stomach. This was further confirmed on a biopsy of the tumor and cell block preparations of aspirated material on which immunostaining was done and which further substantiated the light microscopic cytohistologic diagnosis. The findings presented in this article further emphasize the value of fine catheter aspiration cytology in not only identifying tumor type or predicting the source of the primary but also in managing patients admitted with abdominal pain as an emergency who may be saved from an unnecessary laparotomy which would have otherwise been done for a diagnosis.

Diagnosis of metastatic pleomorphic giant cell carcinoma of the pancreas using fine catheter aspiration cytology

The value of fine catheter aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of metastatic tumours is illustrated by a case of pleomorphic giant cell carcinoma of the pancreas which had metastasized to the peritoneal cavity. The finding of unequivocal malignant cells obviated the need for further diagnostic procedures. Electron microscopy and immunostaining further substantiated the light microscopic cytodiagnosis and identified the tumour type and source of the primary tumour. Furthermore, subsequent cell block preparation from the aspirated material demonstrated the histological features of this tumour.