Evaluation of Cell Block Technique in the Cytodiagnosis of Body Fluids

Background Conventional smear preparation is simple procedure but have many disadvantages causing the difficulties in making the definitive diagnosis however cell block are particularly useful when the cytological abnormalities are misleading. Once positive diagnosis is made it is often considered definitive diagnosis and it is paramount important to identify primary site and type of malignancy. This can help obviate the proper surgical management, chemotherapy and radiotherapy so as to increase patients survival rate. Aims To study cell block preparation of all body fluids along with conventional cytology smear and to know primary site of malignant effusions and evaluating cell block technique in cytodiagnosis of same. Material methods Present prospective study was conducted in tertiary care hospital which includes fresh body fluids minimum of 15 ml in two separate containers (from pleural and peritoneal cavity) from 142 patients with all relevant clinical details of both sexes and all ages. scanty fluid samples were excluded. Samples were processed by conventional smear method and cell block method. Results 142 body fluid specimens were evaluated by simultaneous use of smear and cell block technique of which 80 % were pleural effusions and 20 %were peritoneal fluids, MaleFemale was 21, most of the patients were in the age group of 41-60 years. In Conventional smear prepration showed diagnostic yield 15 % and accuracy 85-90 %. In Cell block technique showed increase in diagnostic yield upto 21 % and accuracy upto 97 %. Conclusion CB in conjunction with CS increases the accuracy of the fluid reports. The CB method provides high cellularity, better architectural patterns and use of IHC help to indentify primary site of malignacy giving more definitive diagnosis.