Role of fine needle aspirate mapping and touch imprint preparations in the evaluation of azoospermia.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the utility of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and touch imprint cytology (TIC) in the evaluation of azoospermia.


METHODS
FNAC, TIC and open testicular biopsy (OTB) were used to evaluate 31 azoospermic men.


RESULTS
OTB revealed normal spermatogenesis (10), spermatogenic arrest (12), Sertoli cell only syndrome (SCO) (7) and unsatisfactory cases (2). Cytologic examinations (TIC vs. FNAC) revealed normal spermatogenesis (11 vs. 9), spermatogenic arrest (13 vs. 7), SCO (2 vs. 1) and unsatisfactory cases (5 vs. 5). Sensitivity and specificity of TIC and FNAC were 98% vs. 83% and 100% vs. 93%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Testicular FNAC is a reliable and simple method for the evaluation of azoospermia.
Hussein
Mahmoud R
MR
Department of Pathology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Assuit University, Assuit, Egypt. mrh17@swissinfo.org
Bedaiwy
Mohammad M A
MM
Ezat
Alae
A
Ibraheem
Abdul Fatah
AF
Nayel
Mahmoud
M
D000328:Adult; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D016591:Histocytological Preparation Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000473:pathology*