title: Telecytopathology for immediate evaluation of fine-needle aspiration specimens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  On-site evaluation of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) specimens by a pathologist is essential to obtain adequate samples and provide a preliminary diagnosis. Distance from the laboratory can make this difficult. The authors present their experience with on-site evaluation using telecytopathology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dynamic images of cytology smears were captured and processed with a Nikon digital camera system for microscopy and transmitted via Ethernet. A pathologist accessed the real-time images on a computer and interpreted them while communicating with on-site operators over the telephone. Sample adequacy and accuracy of preliminary diagnosis were compared with those obtained by regular on-site evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 429 telecytopathology cases and 363 conventional on-site cases were compared. Specimens were mainly from the pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, liver, and lymph nodes. Adequacy rate was 94.0% for telecytopathology and 97.7% for conventional cases. Preliminary diagnoses of unsatisfactory, adequate (defer), negative/benign, atypical, neoplasm, suspicious, and positive for malignancy were 6.3%, 13.5%, 14.9%, 17.9%, 7.2%, 8.6%, and 31.5% for telecytopathology and 3.9%, 30.6%, 21.5%, 9.6%, 5.0%, 5.2%, and 24.2% for conventional cases. Preliminary and final diagnoses were discrepant in 7 (1.8%) of 371 telecytopathology cases, and in 8 (3.1%) of 252 conventional cases. Difficulty was encountered in some cases in distinguishing pancreatic endocrine neoplasm from lymphoid proliferations, and low grade pancreatic tumors from chronic pancreatitis via telecytopathology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On-site evaluation of FNA specimens via telecytopathology assures sample adequacy and accurate preliminary diagnosis compared with the conventional method. It allows pathologists to use their time more efficiently and makes on-site evaluations at remote locations possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.
authors.forename: Mariam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alsharif
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carlo-Demovich
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Massey
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Madory
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lewin
authors.forename: Ana-Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Medina
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Recavarren
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Houser
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019113:Telepathology / Q000379:methods*