Diagnostic accuracy of toluidine blue-stained wet films in effusion cytology.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the usefulness of toluidine blue-stained wet films in the preliminary cytologic evaluation of serous effusions by means of specificity, sensitivity, and positive and negative predictive value.


METHODS
One hundred seventy-six samples consisting of 122 pleural and pericardial effusions and 54 peritoneal effusions from 160 patients were included in the study. A toluidine blue-stained wet film of each sample was evaluated, and diagnoses were compared with the diagnoses by conventional smears and cell blocks on the same sample.


RESULTS
The sensitivity of wet films was 69%, 68% in pleural and pericardial effusions and peritoneal effusions, respectively, and the specificity of wet films was 93%, 92% in pleural and pericardial effusions and peritoneal effusions, respectively. Positive predictive values of smears alone were 78% and 75%; negative predictive values of smears alone were 96% and 95% in pleural and pericardial effusions and peritoneal effusions, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Preliminary cytologic evaluation of serous effusions with toluidine blue-stained wet films is simple and economical. It provides the opportunity to plan additional procedures for the samples.
Erkiliç
Suna
S
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey. serk52@yahoo.com
Koçer
N Emrah
NE
D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014048:Tolonium Chloride
D014048:Tolonium Chloride