title: [Cytologic and histologic methods in the diagnosis of conjunctival lesions: comparative study].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate both the efficacy and reliability of the cytologic method in the diagnosis of conjunctival lesions and compare it with the histologic examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study on 31 conjunctival lesions was performed. Samples were obtained with a Kimura spatula. The lesions were, then, surgically removed and sent for histologic examination. The Papanicolaou technique was used for the cytologic examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cytologic method showed high specificity (100%) and sensitivity (92.9%). The positive predictive value was 100% and the negative was 94.4%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The simple cytologic method is effective and reliable for the diagnosis of tumoral lesions of the conjunctiva.
authors.affiliation: Fundação Altino Ventura, Recife, PE. carlosgustav@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Carlos Gustavo de Melo G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: João Carlos Bezerra
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Veloso
authors.forename: Ana Daniele
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jungman
authors.forename: André Araújo de
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D003230:Conjunctival Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006652:Histological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity