[Application of cytocentrifugation to routine cytological diagnosis of solid pathologic tissues (author's transl)]

Cytocentrifugation (Watson, 1966) was first proposed as a better cell concentrating technique; more recently, it appeared that the samples, thanks to the "monodispersion" of the cells, are quite suitable for A.L.A. *Automated Image Analysis); this property may be applied to routine microscopic cytodiagnosis of several lesions. This paper is an attempt to discuss the different technical problems to obtain suitable cells from solid pathologic tissues: first, a sufficient quantity of cells must be obtained and a correct medium must be adopted; a special care must be taken for the collecting of the samples; the mediums must be chosen as the most convenient to fix cells, to solve mucous, to permit monolayer spreading to stick unto the slides; a method of cytocentrifugation is described. The characters of the smears are reported about cell concentration, evaluation of cell loss, control of monolayer dispersion, signification of clumps and agregates. The techniques of fixation and staining of such samples are precise for the two chosen mediums: after using PBS-albumin, the slides have to be air-dried and stained according to Papanicolaou or May-Grunwald Giemsa technique; after BABS solution, the slides may be fixed with spray and have to be stained according to Papanicolaou. Technical results applied to 97 cases of bronchial, breast and liver samples are discussed. The advantages of the method are: rapid examination, easy storage of slides, satisfactory preservation of cells, even for the most delicate ones (ciliated bronchial cells, for instance), absence of mucous background, minimal cells loss, possibility of enzymologic studies. Moreover the method happens to be inexpensive.