Comparison of the Cellient(™) automated cell block system and agar cell block method

Area of Science:

• Cytopathology
• Histopathology
• Diagnostic Pathology

Background:

• Cell block preparation is crucial for analyzing body fluids.
• Traditional agar cell blocks have limitations in preserving cellular morphology.
• Automated systems aim to improve diagnostic yield and quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the Cellient automated system with the conventional agar method for cell block preparation.
• To evaluate differences in diagnostic material quantity and quality.
• To assess morphological, histochemical, and immunocytochemical features.

Main Methods:

• 100 effusion samples were processed using both agar and Cellient methods.
• Routine staining (H&E, PASD) and immunocytochemistry were performed.
• Morphological parameters were graded, and statistical analysis (Fisher's exact test) was applied.

Main Results:

• Cellient showed statistically significant improvements in cellularity and definition of nuclear/cytoplasmic features (P < 0.05).
• No significant differences were observed in cell group definition, PASD staining, or immunocytochemical staining intensity/clarity.
• Immunocytochemistry showed a 21% discrepancy rate.

Conclusions:

• The Cellient system is comparable to the agar method, offering superior morphological detail.
• It presents a promising alternative for processing fine needle aspiration, effusions, and low-cellularity samples.
• Further research is needed to optimize immunocytochemistry with the Cellient technique.