title: Detached ciliary tufts. Comparison with intestinal protozoa and a review of the literature.
abstract: Detached ciliary tufts are structures of doubtful pathologic significance that are normally present in many body fluids. However, their existence is not widely appreciated by pathologists practicing routine laboratory medicine. If they are observed, their practical clinicopathologic importance is that, because of their vigorous ciliary motion in wet mounts, they can imitate ciliated protozoa and pose a diagnostic dilemma. The authors present a brief review of the literature on detached ciliary tufts and a morphologic comparison with the more commonly encountered intestinal protozoa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77550.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ashfaq-Drewett
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002923:Cilia / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000166:cytology*; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000473:pathology*