The UroVysion FISH assay provides high sensitivity and specificity to detect transitional cell carcinoma in cytologically equivocal and negative urine samples. These results emphasize the important role of this assay in the management of bladder cancer.

No abstract

Leukocyte depletion filtering of cell-salvaged blood obtained from cesarean section significantly reduces particulate contaminants to a concentration equivalent to maternal venous blood.

We report the clinical trial studies for the ThinPrep Imaging System (TIS; Cytyc, Boxborough, MA). Between December 2000 and July 2001, 10,742 ThinPrep specimens were collected at 4 US clinical sites representative of the normal clinical population of the laboratories, including screening patients and referred patients. After nonstudy screening diagnoses were completed, the vials were relabeled and randomized, and study slides were prepared and stained. TIS-trained cytotechnologists and pathologists screened the slides twice, first manually, then TIS-assisted after an appropriate interval. Afterward, 3 independent pathologists performed an adjudication study to determine definitive diagnoses for the nonnegative slides and 5% of the negative slides; the adjudicated diagnoses served as the "gold standard" for subsequent sensitivity and specificity analyses. TIS-assisted screening was statistically more sensitive than manual screening for atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) or higher (+) and statistically equivalent for low- (LSIL)+ and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL)+ diagnoses. TIS-assisted screening had equivalent specificity for ASCUS+ and LSIL+ and significantly higher specificity for HSIL+. Average cytologists' daily screening rates doubled with TIS-assisted screening. The sensitivity of the TIS-assisted screening system equals or exceeds the sensitivity of manual primary screening without adversely affecting specificity, and TIS-assisted screening can improve cervical cancer screening productivity. Cost issues require further study.

Paired fine-needle aspiration specimens were analyzed from 41 surgically resected thyroid nodules, to compare diagnostic accuracy, amount (absent, mild, moderate, or marked) and pattern (diffuse, droplets, or both) of colloid, nuclear detail (poor, satisfactory, or excellent) and cytoplasmic detail (intact or disrupted) in ThinPrep (TP) (Cytyc, Marlborough, MA) versus conventional smear (CS) cytologic preparations. The 41 surgical specimens included 25 colloid nodules, 6 papillary carcinomas, 4 follicular adenomas, 2 minimally invasive (encapsulated) follicular carcinomas, 3 Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and 1 Grave's disease. Both techniques identified seven of the eight carcinomas with the minimally invasive follicular carcinomas categorized as hypercellular follicular nodule, possibly malignant (HCFN). One papillary carcinoma was classified as a HCFN by both TP and CS techniques. The four follicular adenomas were classified as HCFN based on the TP slides. One oxyphilic follicular adenoma, associated with focal lymphocytic thyroiditis, was misinterpreted as Hashimoto's thyroiditis on a conventional smear. Three colloid nodules were interpreted as HCFN based on the TP slides. Two of these were similarly classified based on the conventional smear. ThinPrep slides contained less colloid and the colloid occurred as droplets rather than a diffuse pattern. TP slides had better nuclear detail but more often disrupted cytoplasm. In conclusion, the TP process does alter some cellular features; however, we experienced similar diagnostic accuracy with the TP and conventional smear preparations.