Global Cytopathology-Hematopathology Practice Trends.

Area of Science:

• Pathology
• Hematology
• Oncology

Background:

• Small-volume biopsies, including fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) with or without core biopsy, are increasingly utilized for lymphoma diagnosis and management.
• Effective integration of FNAB, core biopsy, and flow cytometry is crucial for accurate lymphoma diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To survey current practices in small-volume biopsy diagnosis of lymphoma.
• To assess the interaction between hematopathologists and cytopathologists.
• To evaluate the integration of FNAB, core biopsy, and flow cytometry data during the sign-out process.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey design was employed using the RedCap database.
• The survey was distributed via email listservs of nine pathology professional societies.
• 128 pathologists participated, answering 25 multiple-choice questions and free-text fields.

Main Results:

• A majority of respondents (58.6%) encounter FNAB specimens for lymphoma diagnosis (FNAB-L) daily or weekly.
• Most institutions (62.1%) have separate hematopathology and cytopathology services with inconsistent communication.
• Identified barriers included poor communication, limited access to diagnostic studies, lack of subspecialty training, and differing opinions on FNAB for lymphoma diagnosis.

Conclusions:

• FNAB-L specimens are frequently encountered in clinical practice.
• There is a notable lack of uniformity in sharing complementary biopsy and flow cytometry data between hematopathology and cytopathology services.
• Improved communication and standardized protocols are needed for optimal lymphoma diagnosis using small-volume biopsies.