title: A comparative analysis of conventional cytopreparatory and liquid based cytological techniques (Sure Path) in evaluation of serous effusion fluids.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinically, detection of malignant cells in serous body fluids is critical, as their presence implies the upstaging of the disease. Cytology of body cavity fluids serves as an important tool when other diagnostic tests cannot be performed. In most laboratories, currently, the effusion fluid samples are analysed chiefly by the conventional cytopreparatory (CCP) technique. Although, there are several studies comparing the liquid-based cytology (LBC), with CCP technique in the field of cervicovaginal cytology; the literature on such comparison with respect to serous body fluid examination is sparse.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred samples of serous body fluids were processed by both CCP and LBC techniques. Slides prepared by these techniques were studied using six parameters. A comparative analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the techniques in detection of malignant cells was carried out with appropriate statistical tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The samples comprised 52 pleural, 44 peritoneal and four pericardial fluids. No statistically significant difference was noted with respect to cellularity (P values = 0.22), cell distribution (P values = 0.39) and diagnosis of malignancy (P values = 0.20). As for the remaining parameters, LBC provided statistically significant clearer smear background (P values < 0.0001) and shorter screening time (P values < 0.0001), while CPP technique provided a significantly better staining quality (P values 0.01) and sharper cytomorphologic features (P values 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although, a reduced screening time and clearer smear background are the two major advantages of LBC; the CCP technique provides the better staining quality with sharper cytomorphologic features which is more critical from the cytologic interpretation point of view. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:874-879. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, 605006, India.
authors.forename: Hrishikesh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dadhich
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, 605006, India. pampa.toi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pampa Ch
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Toi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, 605006, India.
authors.forename: Neelaiah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Siddaraju
authors.affiliation: Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, 605006, India.
authors.forename: Kalidas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sevvanthi
mesh_terms: D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000473:pathology*; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000473:pathology*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: conventional cyto-preparatory technique; liquid based cytology; malignant cells; serous effusion fluids