[Cytologic prints of primary and metastatic melanomas. Preliminary report]

In 15 cases of melanoma (10 primary tumours and 5 metastatic ones) imprint examination was performed intraoperatively. In one case the material was non-diagnostic. Out of the remaining 14 cases six tumours consisted of epithelioid cells, one--spindle-shaped and seven were of mixed structure. Typical characteristics of the imprint included cellular dispersion, polymorphism, presence of binuclear and giant cells as well as intranuclear cytoplasmic inclusions. There features are the same as those described in other cytologic studies of these neoplasms. The imprints method turned out to be useful as an accessory and complementary study intraoperative histopathologic examination.