Performance of the DNA-Citoliq liquid-based cytology system compared with conventional smears.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the performance of a new, manual, simplified liquid-based system, DNA-Citoliq (Digene Brasil), employed under routine conditions as compared to conventional smears collected from six collaborating private laboratories.


METHODS
A panel of cytopathologists, who served as the gold standard diagnosis, adjudicated discordant opinions.


RESULTS
Of 3206 pairs of slides considered valid for comparison, there were 3008 in full agreement (93.8%), 112 (3.5%) with one diagnostic category discrepancies, and 86 (2.7%) discordant cases. Among the 288 borderline+ by either method, DNA-Citoliq detected abnormalities in 243 (84.4%), and conventional smears (CS) detected abnormalities in 178 (61.8%) (McNemar test, P < 0.000), a 36.5% increased detection of borderline+ cases.


CONCLUSIONS
For mild dyskaryosis, DNA-Citoliq detected 176 cases and CS 125 cases (McNemar test, P < 0.000); and for moderate+severe dyskaryosis 66 versus 32 cases respectively (McNemar test, P < 0.000).
Alves
V A F
VA
School of Medicine, São Paulo University, Brazil. venancio@uol.com.br
Castelo
A
A
Filho
A L
AL
Vianna
M R
MR
Taromaru
E
E
Namiyama
G
G
Lorincz
A
A
Dores
G B D
GB
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D004526:Efficiency; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D002577:Uterine Cervical Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods*