Efficacy of toluidine blue staining in cervicovaginal cytology over conventional papanicolaou stain

Introduction: Toluidine blue staining (TBS) is a practical, rapid, inexpensive and effective adjunct diagnostic tool. TBS method has been extensively used as a vital stain with metachromatic property for mucosal lesions and exfoliative cytology. Aim and Objectives: To see the efficacy of aqueous Toluidine Blue (TB) stained smears in comparison to conventional smears stained with Papanicolaou (Pap) stain of cervicovaginal smears and to reduce the reporting time of smears and also cutting down on the cost. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective cross sectional study on 240 Cervicovaginal smears received in the Dept. of Pathology, ACPM Medical College College, Dhule over a period of 4 months from September to December 2016. All the satisfactory smears as per Bethesda system of reporting were included in the study. The unsatisfactory smears were excluded from the study. Multiple smears from the symptomatic patients were advised. The conventional Pap stain and Aqueous TBS (1%) was performed on the smears received. Cytomorphology of the smears were studied and compared in reference to staining, timing and efficiency of stains. Results: The efficacy of TBS is equally good as conventional Pap staining. The timing is curtailed from average 30 minutes in Pap staining to 3 minutes in TB staining method. The cost per test was also decreased substantially in TB Staining method. The nuclear staining property by TBS is equally good as in Pap staining most of the times, for rapid diagnosis of lesion. Conclusion: The staining properties of TB Stain are similar and equally good as Pap staining method with reduced turnaround time and are cost effective. Hence TB staining method is beneficial for mass screening of cervicovaginal smears in the camps in Indian scenario.