title: Usefulness of imprint and brushing cytology in diagnosis of lung diseases with flexible bronchoscopy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To increase the diagnostic yield in pulmonary diseases, histopathology, imprint cytology and brushing cytology are assessed in combination during flexible bronchoscopy. However, the individual diagnostic discrimination of the three methods is unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors performed the three sampling techniques in 102 consecutive patients with suspected pulmonary pathologies and compared the definitive diagnosis with those of histopathology, imprint and brushing cytology for their diagnostic values regarding evidence of malignancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  33.3% of all histopathological specimens, 31.4% of all imprints and 26.5% of brush biopsy specimens were positive for malignancy. The values for sensitivities were 94% for histopathology, 89% for imprint cytology and 75% for brushing cytology, respectively. Although brushing cytology had limited sensitivity, in two cases a malignant lung tumour was only diagnosed from cytological examination of brushing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, routine imprint cytology does not increase the diagnostic sensitivity, whereas routine brushing cytology should be used in combination with histopathology to obtain the highest diagnostic rate of yield.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. guido.michels@uk-koeln.de
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Michels
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Topalidis
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Büttner
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Engels
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pfister
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods; D003584:Cytological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity