Evaluation of applying feulgen stain for DNA analysis on destained hematoxylin-eosin-stained cytologic smears.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the feasibility and reliability of DNA analysis performed on the original hematoxylin-eosin (HE)-stained cytologic specimens by destaining the slides and restaining with the Feulgen method.


METHODS
Image cytometric analysis of DNA ploidy status was performed in a comparative study on 20 cytologic preparations from 10 nasopharyngeal carcinomas. Ten smears were stained directly by the Feulgen method, and the others were Feulgen stained after HE destaining.


RESULTS
There was 90% overall concordance in DNA determination and a good correlation (r = .97, P < .001) between the DNA indices determined by the 2 methods. Discordance was probably due to tumor heterogeneity.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that image cytometric DNA analysis on previously routinely HE-stained cytologic preparations is feasible and reliable. This method permits retrospective studies on archival cytologic material from patients with long term follow-up data.
Chen
Maohuai
M
Department of Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, People's Republic of China. mhchen@stu.edu.cn
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004801:Eosine Yellowish-(YS); D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006416:Hematoxylin; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D011003:Ploidies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*
C007722:Feulgen stain; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D004247:DNA; D004801:Eosine Yellowish-(YS); D006416:Hematoxylin