Exploring the Fascinating Realm of Crush/Imprint Cytology: A Window into Cellular Diagnosis

Crush/imprint cytology, a diagnostic technique within the realm of cytological examinations, has emerged as a powerful tool for rapid and minimally invasive tissue evaluation. Its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and rapidity make it indispensable in pathology practice.

The aims and objectives were as follows: (1) to evaluate the diagnostic utility of crush/imprint cytology and (2) to correlate cytomorphological and histopathological (HP) findings for comprehensive diagnostic evaluation.

This prospective study was carried out in a tertiary health care hospital for a period of 1 year, and 56 cases were included in this study. Both benign and malignant lesions from different organ systems were included in this study. The cytological diagnosis was correlated with HP diagnosis to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of crush cytology.

This study showed a male predominance (69%). Most lesions were from the respiratory system (33.33%), followed by head and neck (24.07%), lymphoreticular system (16.66%), gastrointestinal system (11.11%), skin (9.25%), and genitourinary system (5.55%). Malignant lesions showed good (44%) cell yield on crush/imprint cytology. The sensitivity was 100%, with 94.12% specificity for detecting benign and malignant lesions, and the overall diagnostic accuracy was 98.15%.

The crush/imprint cytology stands as a cornerstone in the realm of cellular diagnosis, offering a rapid, cost-effective, and minimally invasive approach to evaluating tissue specimens. It is an indispensable tool in intraoperative diagnostics, offering rapid and accurate assessments of tissue pathology. It acts as a good complement to histopathology and can be of benefit for rapid preliminary diagnosis and intraoperative surgical management planning. Its use is highly recommended routinely.