Cytologic examination of ovarian cyst fluid for the distinction between benign and malignant tumors.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the feasibility of using cytologic examination of ovarian cyst fluid for distinguishing between benign and malignant tumors.


METHODS
Cyst fluid was aspirated at surgery in 83 women with benign and 35 women with malignant (25 invasive and ten borderline) ovarian tumors and submitted for routine cytologic examination.


RESULTS
The specificity of the cytologic examination was 100%, but the sensitivity and negative predictive value were only 26 and 76%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The low sensitivity and negative predictive value of cytologic cyst fluid examination preclude its use for the distinction between benign and malignant ovarian tumors.
Moran
O
O
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
Menczer
J
J
Ben-Baruch
G
G
Lipitz
S
S
Goor
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000166:cytology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity