title: Cellular contamination during automatic and manual staining of cytological smears.
abstract: Three routine cervical smears were contaminated with adenocarcinoma cells from a malignant serous effusion which was being processed simultaneously in an automatic staining machine. Further investigation showed that cells were transferred in up to 17% of cases. However, with manual staining, the figure could be as high as 30%. The possibility of misleading cellular transfer should therefore always be considered. Serious fluids should not be processed with routine cervical smears.
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001331:Automation; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008722:Methods; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014626:Vaginal Smears