title: Comparison of pleural fluid cytology and pleural biopsy in the evaluation of pleural effusion.
abstract: Pleural fluid cytology and pleural biopsy results were studied in 65 cases of pleural effusion. The efficacy of pleural biopsy in diagnosis of neoplastic and non-neoplastic pleural diseases was compared. Of the 24 cases with confirmatory evidence of cancer, 17(70.8%) has positive cytologic findings in pleural fluid, whereas pleural biopsy was diagnostic in only 13 cases (54.1%). For non-malignant pleural effusion in 41 cases 40(97.5%) has a definite diagnosis (tuberculous pleuritis, acute fibrinous pleuritis or hydatid cyst) which could be made by cytology while only 31(75.6%) out of 41 were diagnosed on pleural biopsy. The study indicates that cytologic evaluation of pleural fluid is more efficaceous in the diagnosis of malignant and non-malignant pleural disease than percutaneous pleural biopsy.
authors.affiliation: University College of Medical Sciences and Associated Hospitals, Shahdara, Delhi.
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Misra
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Suri
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D006801:Humans; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000473:pathology*; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests