Introduction:Most cytology laboratories in all Gulf countries including Oman, use the standard papanicolaou (PAP) method to stain various cytological specimens. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible application of ultrafast PAP (UF-PAP) method in cytology laboratory.Materials and Methods:Samples from 46 patients containing 26 body fluids and 20 fine needle aspirations (FNAs) (9 thyroids and 11 breasts) were collected. Two air dried and two wet smears from each sample were prepared and stained by UF-PAP and the standard PAP stains, respectively. Background, nuclear staining, cell morphology, and overall staining were independently reviewed by two cytoscreeners.Results:In all cases of FNA, UF-PAP stain gave a good score for the background, nuclear staining, cell morphology, and overall staining when compared with the standard PAP method. Although the correct diagnosis was made in all cases of body cavity fluids cases except in one case, UF-PAP stain gave a fewer score in the assessment of body cavity fluid samples.Conclusion:The findings of this study support the use of UF-PAP method in cytology laboratory with a high emphasis on FNA samples.

BACKGROUND: Cytological smear and cell block (CB) are routinely used to diagnose non gynaecologic specimens. However, there is scanty information in the literature to compare cytological smear and CB with the corresponding tissue biopsies. This study is aimed at evaluating the accuracy of cytological smear and CB in the diagnosis of malignant tumours in non-gynaecologic specimens.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 70 malignant cases were subjected to cytological smear and CB. Corresponding histopathology was also included. The most frequent immunomarkers found between CB and tissue biopsies were also correlated. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, false positive and false negative values were analyzed for each method.RESULTS: The accuracy, sensitivity and positive predictive value for cytological smear were 92.8%, 100.0% and 92.9%, whereas for CB were 91.4%, 98.4% and 92.7%, respectively. In CB method, the accuracy, sensitivity and positive predictive value for CK7 were 88.9%, 91.7% and 95.6%, whereas for CK5/6 were 75%, 100% and 57.1%, respectively.CONCLUSION: Cytological smear and CB are very sensitive and accurate in the detection of malignant tumours in nongynaecologic specimens. Additional corresponding tissue biopsiesshould be re-evaluated.

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