title: Sputum cytology for the diagnosis of lung cancer. Comparison of smear and modified cell block methods.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the sputum smear cytology and cell block methods for specimen adequacy, cytology quality and diagnostic accuracy in the diagnosis of lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed 2,524 sputum specimens from 768 patients. The specimens were prepared as smears and cell blocks for cytopathologic examination between March 1, 1992, and December 31, 1998. The smear and cell block slides were evaluated both separately and together, and the results were compared with radiologic and histopathologic diagnoses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sensitivity of the smear method was 69.4% and specificity was 99.5%. The sensitivity of the cell block method was 84.4% and specificity, 100%. The sensitivity of the smear and cell block together was 87.6% and specificity, 99.5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cell block method increases the sensitivity and specificity of sputum cytology, and when smear and cell block slides are evaluated together, sensitivity reaches its highest value. Therefore, application of smear and cell block methods together seems most useful in the diagnosis of lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Gaziantep University, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep, Turkey. serk52@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Suna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erkiliç
authors.forename: Coşkun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ozsaraç
authors.forename: Sevgi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Küllü
mesh_terms: D002283:Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / Q000473:pathology*; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000592:standards; D003584:Cytological Techniques / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D016591:Histocytological Preparation Techniques / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D010340:Pathology, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013183:Sputum / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents