title: Liquid-based versus conventional cytology in solid pediatric neoplasm: Comparison of their diagnostic and morphological spectra.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Conventional cytology (CC) is a well-established and effective methodology for the evaluation of pediatric tumors. Liquid-based cytology (LBC) is a better technique of smear preparation and is at present the standard protocol in cervical cytology samples.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In the present study, we analyzed both smear preparatory techniques in fine-needle aspiration (FNA) samples from solid pediatric neoplasms in terms of adequacy and efficacy with objectives to study the changes in background and morphology of tumor cells in LBC smears.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective observational study conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital, which included 52 pediatric patients with clinical diagnosis of malignancy and an assessable lump. Both conventional aspiration cytology and LBC smears were prepared as per standard protocols (SurePath BD™) from FNA samples of cases and examined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On comparing the diagnostic efficacy of cytology smears prepared by both techniques, LBC alone was diagnostic in 80.8% of the cases and conventional smear (CS) alone was diagnostic in 71.2% of the cases (agreement was 83.7%,P= 0.3). Cellular morphology was better preserved in LBC and interpretation was easier. There was a lower inadequacy rate in LBC and none of the samples was inadequate due to poor morphology in LBC smears (P= 0.0003). LBC showed an overall 40% improvement in inadequate cases by CS. LBC has been recommended as a complement to CC in nongynecological samples. Improved morphology and lower inadequacy rate make LBC a finer technique compared to CS in pediatric tumors as well.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Preeti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Sunita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Madhu M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Goel
keywords: Cytomorphology; fine-needle aspiration; liquid-based cytology (LBC); nongynecologic cytopathology; pediatric tumors