title: Comparative efficacy of imprint and squash cytology in diagnosing lesions of the central nervous system.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Central nervous system lesions can be localized precisely with the help of computerized tomography (CT). However, rapid cytological diagnosis of lesions by imprint and/or squash smear technique is useful to assist the operating surgeon to avoid unnecessary craniotomy. The present study was conducted with the aim to study the sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of the two types of smears in central nervous system lesions while taking histology as gold standard.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study 149 lesions of the central nervous system were studied by squash and imprint smear techniques and results were compared with histology. Cytology smears were stained with May-Grunwald-Giemsa and Pap stain. Histopathology smears were stained with haematoxylin and eosin stain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 149 cases, 85 were malignant and 64 cases were either benign or non-neoplastic lesions. The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy by squash smear were 90.6%, 87.5% and 89.3% respectively and that of the imprint smears were found to be 92.9%, 90.6% and 92.0%. The combined sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of both techniques were even greater (95.3%, 93.8% and 94.6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study showed that imprint smear examination is superior to the squash smear for diagnosing lesions of the central nervous system.
authors: Department of Pathology, Moti Lal Nehru Medical College, Allahabad, India. dr.nishant.c.sharma@gmail.com
authors: Nishant
authors: N
authors: Sharma
authors: Vatsala
authors: V
authors: Misra
authors: P A
authors: PA
authors: Singh
authors: Shiv Kumar
authors: SK
authors: Gupta
authors: Sharmishtha
authors: S
authors: Debnath
authors: Anupriya
authors: A
authors: Nautiya
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D003943:Diagnostic Techniques, Neurological; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006652:Histological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009423:Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D055815:Young Adult