Liquid-based vs. conventional smears in fine needle aspiration of bone and soft tissue tumors.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology of bone and soft tissue tumors utilizing ThinPrep (TP) (Cytyc Corporation, Boxborough, Massachusetts, U.S.A.) vs. conventional smears (CS).


METHODS
Fine needle aspiration cytology from bone and soft tissue tumors was processed and assessed for cellularity, nuclear and cytoplasmic preservation, cellular architecture and stromal background with both the TP liquid-based smear technique and conventional methods.


RESULTS
An accurate diagnosis was made in 13% of TP cases as compared to 64% in CS cases.


CONCLUSIONS
CS of fine needle aspiration sample is far superior to TP in diagnosing tumors of bone and soft tissues. Preservation of cytoplasmic features and cellular architecture was superior in conventionally prepared smears.
Das
Kasturi
K
Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, 150 Bergen Street, UHE 158, Newark, New Jersey 07103, USA.
Hameed
Meera
M
Heller
Debra
D
Mirani
Neena
N
Doty
Nancy
N
Benevenia
Joseph
J
Patterson
Francis
F
Aisner
Seena
S
D016477:Artifacts; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D003584:Cytological Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008867:Microtomy / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D016707:Tissue Fixation / Q000379:methods