title: Metastatic breast carcinoma in the sentinel lymph node: an evaluation and comparison of cytological with histopathological diagnosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the accuracy of imprint cytology in identifying metastases in the sentinel lymph node and comparing it with histopathology of the same nodes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross- sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  Departments of Pathology, Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad and Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore and Departments of Surgery, Allied and DHQ Hospitals, Faisalabad, between July 2002 - June 2003.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sentinel lymph node was identified in 80 cases of early (T1 and T2) breast carcinoma by a localization technique, using 1% Isosulphan Blue. Cytological evaluation of the touch imprints were compared with subsequent histopathology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cytology of the lymph node, as compared to the histopathology, had 86.79% sensitivity (SE) and 100% specificity (SP). The Positive Predictive Value (PPV) was 100% and the Negative Predictive Value (NPV) was 79.41%. The accuracy was 91.2%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current study confirms the value of imprint cytology as a rapid and reliable method of assessment of sentinel lymph node metastases in breast carcinoma. It can be used intra-operatively as an alternative to frozen section, if a Cryostat is not available in the pathology laboratory to exclude Stage I patients from extensive surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Medical College, The University of Faisalabad, Faisalabad.
authors.forename: Sadia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hameed
authors.forename: Sabiha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riaz