title: Brush cytology in malignant biliary obstruction.
abstract: Tissue diagnosis is essential for the management of patients with malignant biliary obstruction. We prospectively studied brush cytology in 30 patients with malignant biliary obstruction. Wire guided brush cytology was obtained from the stricturous segment during endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography. The study comprised of 30 patients (16 males, 14 females), with a mean age of 55 years (range 30-75 years). The obstruction was caused by carcinoma gallbladder in 16 cases, carcinoma head of the pancreas in 10 cases, and cholangiocarcinoma in 4 cases. Brush cytology was positive for malignancy in 8 cases (26.7%). Another 3 samples (10.3%), 1 from each group of tumors, were suspicious for malignancy. Cytology was positive in 25% of gallbladder cancers, 50% of pancreatic cancers, and 50% of cholangiocarcinomas. Brush cytology was positive in 6 of 18 (33.3%) proximal and 5 of 12 (41.7%) distal strictures. Brush cytology yielded a sensitivity of 36.7% in the diagnosis of malignant biliary strictures. However, a larger study is required to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh. virendrasingh100@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Virendra
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Sadhna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhasin
authors.forename: Chander Kanwal
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Nain
authors.forename: Subhash Kumari
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Gurpreet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Shashanka Mohan
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bose
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D003581:Cytodiagnosis; D005260:Female; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies