title: Cytology of Pericardial Effusion due to Malignancy.
abstract: Malignant pericardial effusion occurs in one tenth of all cancers. It is a very serious disorder that is mainly a secondary process due to metastasis because primary neoplasms of the pericardium such as mesotheliomas, sarcomas being exceedingly rare [corrected].  Pericardial effusion specimens are uncommon and to the best of our knowledge the current study is the largest systematic evaluation of pericardial fluid cytology performed to date.
  
  
  
  Pericardial effusion specimens from 145 patients collected over a  25  [corrected] year period were studied by cytology  [corrected]. The minimum pericardial fluid volume used for adequate cytologic diagnosis in these patients was more than 60 mL.
  
  
  
  Cytological diagnosis revealed malignant pericardial exudates in 100% of the studied patients [corrected].
  
  
  
  Cytology provides an immediate and accurate means of diagnosis. Immunocytology  is very important
  in the diagnostic evaluation.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kalogeraki
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lazopoulos
authors.forename: Georgios Z
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Papadakis
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tamiolakis
authors.forename: Iliana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Karvela-Kalogeraki
authors.forename: Mihailos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karvelas-Kalogerakis
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Segredakis
authors.forename: George E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Chalkiadakis
mesh_terms: D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D020519:Pericardiocentesis